An outcome from the Water Authority of Fiji (WAF) 2023 Annual Customer Forum and Water Sector 2050 Strategy consultation being conducted nationwide is a general willingness to review water tariffs.
WAF chief executive officer Dr Amit Chanan said there was an overwhelming support for at least some increase in water tariff, which is currently $0.15 per 1000 litres of clean drinking water.
He said the forum was about an open and honest conversation with their customers about what the authority wa doing right, what they could improve, what they had delivered, and what they planned to do in the future.
“The discussion during the forum centred around broader water security and sanitation issues, which is about the next 30 years of our water sector and the level of investments and projects that will be needed,” Dr Chanan said.
The first two sessions of the forum were held in Nadi and Suva, with the final session to be held at Labasa’s Friendly North Inn today.
Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association CEO Fantasha Lockington who attended the Nadi session said WAF was in the right direction.
“While I believe WAF is on the right track for stakeholder consultation and feedback to formulate their future plans, I believe WAF should be sharing both its challenges as well as what positives it brings about – like progress on projects, the beneficial impact of project completions on the communities and positive stories where they can,” Ms Lockington said.
Tailevu Provincial Council chairman Rusiate Tudravu said the forum held in Suva allowed him to better understand the operations and a have better insight of WAF.
“Being part of this gives me a better insight, I have noted areas and developments and WAF is playing a catch-up game – but being here I now see that they have a plan in place to address these – we have a plan in place,” Mr Tudravu said.
