The Government is urging Fijians to begin conserving water as the country enters what is expected to be a prolonged dry period, with El Niño conditions forecast to bring below-normal rainfall for the remainder of the year.
Minister for Public Works, Meteorological Services and Transport Ro Filipe Tuisawau said the Fiji Meteorological Service has advised that the driest period is likely to occur between October and December, making it critical for households, businesses and institutions to use water responsibly.
“As the Minister responsible for the Water Authority of Fiji, I am asking all Fijians to use water carefully and deliberately as we move through the dry season,” he said.
“The Fiji Meteorological Service advises that El Niño conditions are underway and that rainfall is likely to remain below normal through to the end of the year, with the driest period expected between October and December.”
The Minister assured the public that water supply continues across most Water Authority of Fiji (WAF) systems nationwide, but confirmed that dry-weather contingency plans have now been activated across all three operational regions.
He said WAF teams are working daily to maintain water supplies despite declining water levels at many of the country’s 44 major water sources.
“WAF’s dry-weather contingency plans have been activated across all three regions, and teams are working on the ground each day to hold supply steady as dry weather continues,” he said.
Ro Filipe said WAF has introduced a range of emergency measures, including supplementary pumping, temporary pump stations, pressure management, leak repairs, rehabilitation of water intakes and water carting to affected communities.
He warned that some consumers may experience lower water pressure or intermittent supply as the authority manages limited resources.
“Valve operations, pressure management and the rebalancing of flows between systems can result in lower water pressure, or in supply becoming intermittent in some areas at certain times of the day,” he said.
“These are deliberate and necessary steps that allow reservoirs and trunk mains to recover, and they are what enable WAF to keep water available to as many Fijians as possible, and for as long as possible.”
The Minister called on the public to make simple but meaningful changes to reduce water consumption.
He urged people to avoid washing vehicles, driveways and footpaths with running hoses, filling swimming pools or excessive garden watering, particularly during peak demand periods.
Ro Filipe also encouraged households to repair leaking taps and pipes immediately, while hotels, resorts, businesses and industries were asked to implement water conservation measures, including leak detection and water reuse where practical.
“I thank all Fijians in advance for their cooperation,” he said.
“Every litre conserved today helps ensure that water remains available to households, businesses, schools, hospitals and communities throughout this dry period.”
He added that WAF will continue to provide regular updates on water source conditions and any expected changes to water supply as the dry weather continues.
