The Water Authority of Fiji(WAF) has been awarded the Water Leaders Distinction Award at the Global Water Intelligence (GWI) 2017 Global Water Awards, at a ceremony held on Monday April 24, 2017, at the Palacio de Cibeles in Madrid, Spain.

The Authority received this prestigious award for its “Water Champion” programme, with GWI calling the programme a “vital platform in the battle to create greater customer awareness of its operations across rural and urban areas.”

The awards were presented to the leading utilities of the world, the latest initiative of the Global Water Leaders Group, and is the Gold Standard for utility performance.

“This international recognition is another milestone achievement for WAF, especially at such a prestigious forum where world leaders in the water sector gather to collaborate in a conference setting.

“For Fiji to be up there with the rest of the world proves that we may be small in size as a country, but that we can compete at international levels, if we plan correctly and work efficiently,” said WAF chief executive officer Opetaia Ravai.

The GWI commended WAF in the award citation, saying:

“The WAF Water Champion programme has become the voice for water conservation in Fiji, while communicating the value of water and wastewater services to a multitude of stakeholders.

“Champions who have graduated from the programme include staff from WAF itself, school students, and even members of other utility organisations such as Telecom Fiji.

“WAF has executed this programme at the same time as providing clean and consistent drinking water to its customers 24 hours a day, seven days a week in support of its commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals.

“The achievement is all the more remarkable given that it has had to tackle a depreciated reticulation system… while facing rising volumetric demand from an increasing population.”

Mr Ravai said that the international water sector now knows WAF is a very progressive and a very innovative water utility, with programmes that are on a par with those of larger, more developed countries.

”I’m so proud of what we’re doing at WAF and to be a leader of this organisation, I am proud of the commitment of the staff and that what we do is being recognised. I just want to thank everyone at the Water Authority of Fiji.

“I want to thank Government for their continuous support that enables us to put these innovative programmes in place, to invest in new technologies and to upgrade and replace our water and wastewater infrastructure,” said Mr Ravai.

Subscribed readers of GWI magazine, Water Desalination Report and individual members of the International Desalination Association (IDA) vote the Global Water Awards.

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