THE Waidina River in Naitasiri has been a source of life to the people of Nabukaluka for several years now.
These villagers have been receiving an occasional supply of water from their dam provided by the Water Authority of Fiji.
And because of this, they have resorted to the river to help them with their daily needs.
The river is commonly used by nearby villages for fishing, but for the people of Nabukaluka they use the river for cooking, bathing, and sometimes drinking.
A team from this newspaper visited the village and witnessed the struggles the villagers endured when there is no water.
When we arrived at the village on November 4, women were scattered along the riverbank doing their washing.
Some were swimming while others were fetching water for their day’s use — it was just 7.30am.
One thing that caught our attention was women with pots and laundry had to climb down a steep hill before setting on a soft slippery stone to do their business.
The struggles they endure each day was hidden behind their beautiful smiles as they knew that life must go on with or without having access to proper clean water.
Vani Boladuadua, who was among several other women at the river that morning, said the water problem had been an ongoing issue for them. “This is a normal routine for us every day,” Ms Boladuadua said.
Ilisapeci Rokosovu hopes that the nightmare of not having access to clean water on a 24-hour basis would soon be a thing of the past.
“We hope that one day we will get the much-needed help from relevant authorities so that we can enjoy clean water in the comforts of our homes,” Ms Rokosovu said while washing at the river.
