Valve operations are the cause of water supply problems in Naikaile area to Burebasaga, Nausori, says the Water Authority of Fiji (WAF).

The authority’s chief executive officer, Opetaia Ravai, said: “There is a loop of pipe that goes around all these villages through the swamps and mangroves.

“The maintenance of these water pipes have been quite a challenge, but nevertheless we will do valve operations daily because we do not have enough water to supply the whole area. We are not supposed to be touching all of these, but because of the situation that we are in, we have to do something today and that is what valve operations are all about, trying to continue the supply to the areas.”

The authority will continue to fill the Raralevu Reservoir every night by tweaking the valves so that there is enough water to continue the supply during the peak hours in the morning.

Mr Ravai said the operations would take place every night, which causes the Rewa Delta to suffer low water pressure every night.

“We need to do valve operations daily so that we fill the Raralevu Reservoir and an analysis has shown that if we do not touch the valve and continue to leave it like that, the reservoir will run dry in 48 hours. We cannot allow that so we will continue this operation until October,” he said.

He is calling on the public in these areas to take advantage of the water tanks provided by Government and to apply through the District Commissioner in the Central Office.

“We have done some pipe work and we had replaced all valves in the reticulation system. We have also raised the whole supply to certain areas and the distribution reservoirs in the Rewa Delta,” Mr Ravai said.

Edited by Naisa Koroi

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