Settlers at the Wainivilimi Settlement in Tailevu North finally accessed clean and safe drinking water yesterday after 60 years of struggle.

Settlement leader, 72-year-old Filimoni Rokovasa, thanked the Government for help­ing them. He said they were originally from Dakuinuku Village in Sawakasa.

They moved to their new home in 1950 and he attended Naivicula District School.

He said no government in the past and also companies leasing on their land had respond­ed to their request for a tap water project.

Mr Rokovasa said that they had applied to the Water Authority of Fiji (WAF), but were told this year that according to their list they had been dropped.

He said that did not stop them as they col­lected money and constructed a dam with the help of the WAF workers.

When the dam was passed by WAF, he said they were then supplied with all the materials needed for their water project.

“We did not pay for the materials and our only contribution was the construction of the dam,” he said.

He said in the past, at any social gathering in the settlement, the youths would be tasked to fetch water from the creek for food prepara­tion, washing and grog.

This he said was a huge and tiresome task, but they had to do it.

Chief Guest the WAF Central/Eastern re­gional manager Ilisoni Saladuadua thanked them for their unity in completing their water project. His advice to them: “Keep the reser­voir clean all the time.”

Mr Saladuadua said there were a lot chang­es they were experiencing because of climate change and he said they should be ready for them. He said they needed to continue with their creativity in making use of their re­sources, to better their lifestyle through their own initiative.

“No one else will know better about what you’re facing every day and what you need.”

A request was made to WAF for a tank to store water from the dam before reaching the settlement.

Edited by Caroline Ratucadra

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