Nadi and Lautoka residents have been advised by the Water Authority of Fiji (WAF) that the water coming through their taps are safe for drinking despite its discolourised appearance.
The authority acknowledged the issue of water discolouration being experienced in some areas, particularly by customers served by the main water source at the Vaturu Dam, which it said was caused by increased levels of iron in raw water received at the treatment plant.
“The recent heavy rainfall into the dam catchment, after very long dry spell, washed sediments rich in iron into the lake. After undergoing the oxidation process, iron gives the water a pale brown color,” WAF stated.
“In response to the increased iron content in the raw water, the treatment process at the Nagado water treatment plant has been adjusted to address this cosmetic issue.
“Once the issue was discovered, our teams were quickly deployed to undertake water sampling, process monitoring and extensive flushing works on water reticulation in Nadi and Lautoka to address the high levels of Iron and restore normal water quality.
“Our technicians continue to monitor the system, so any similar weather triggered water quality events can be addressed as we are still into a moderate El Nino state.”
Customers are advised to report any discoloured water received through their taps so necessary corrective actions can be taken to immediately address the issue.