CWM Hospital water supply restored after tank runs dry
Patients relied on bottled water after the hospital’s backup tank ran dry during a disruption caused by a burst WAF pipe.
Tuesday 27 October 2026 | 15:00
Colonial War Memorial Hospital Emergency Room main entrance.
Ronald Kumar
Patients at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital (CWMH) had to rely on bottled water after the facility’s backup water tank ran dry yesterday morning.
The Ministry of Health and Medical Services confirmed the disruption was caused by a burst in one of the Water Authority of Fiji’s (WAF) main water pipes late last Sunday.
The disruption affected services in critical care areas across several hospital departments.
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During a visit to the hospital today, this masthead was informed that the entire facility was without water from around 11am until late in the afternoon.
The ministry said WAF restored the water supply to the hospital at about 5pm yesterday, and the backup water tanks have since been refilled.
International Women’s Association (IWA) president Judy Compain raised concerns about the situation on social media, saying: “The sickest patients in Fiji in the most critical spaces in our national hospital, have no water.”
She called on ministers and political parties to focus their attention on the hospital and the people they were elected to serve.
The ministry said it was working with WAF on proactive measures to prevent water shortages at CWMH during future water cuts.
It also reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining safe and reliable services.
