Forty-six families at Arolevu Settlement in Nadi now have access to clean tap water in the comfort of their own homes.

This is after Government, through the Water Authority of Fiji, installed tap water in these households as part of a project which has been ongoing for the past three years at a cost of $250,000.

Community Advisory councillor Krishna Kumar said the small sugarcane farming community consisted of 48 households with a population of more than 100 people.

“Decade after decade we have been waiting for a Government to come in and fulfil their promise of installing tap water in our homes,” he added.

Mr Kumar said through the FijiFirst Government their cry for access to clean tap water was heard.

“In the previous governments, they will only come during election campaigns and promise us that they will provide tap water but once the election is over we never see them,” he added.

Mr Kumar said for some families had been living at Arolevu for generations, but still didn’t have access to tap water.

“Before each family had wells or boreholes. Sometimes we have to fetch water from the creek for cooking and drinking, Government stepped in and provided water tanks and implemented water carting programmes while working on the taps,” he added.

Mr Kumar made special mention of to the Minister for Fisheries Semi Koroilavesau for taking time out from his busy schedule to help their community.

“He (Mr Koroilavesau) sometimes visits us to sit down over a bowl of kava so that we can share our problems with him and we want to thank him for his commitment. Even after the election in 2014 he came to visit us,” he added.

WAF spokesperson Peni Shute confirmed that work to install tap water in a few other houses in the area was in progress and expected to be completed by next month.

Edited by Epineri Vula

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