Residents' Plea for Safe Water Unanswered
19 homes rely on contaminated water as students face health risks.
Monday 27 January 2025 | 16:09
Romiasha Bano fetching water from the well in Yalava, Labasa on January 26, 2025. Photo: Shratika Naidu
Residents of Yalava, near Labasa, continue to face the dire reality of relying on untreated water for drinking, despite repeated appeals to government ministers.
Requests for assistance have been made to Deputy Prime Minister Biman Prasad, Minister for Rural and Maritime Development Sakiasi Ditoka, and most recently, Minister for Public Works Ro Filipe Tuisawau.
However, no concrete action has been taken, leaving residents, including children, vulnerable to illnesses.
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Year Eight student Romiasha Barro from Tabia Primary School was spotted collecting water with her mother from a roadside well.
"The well filled up after last night's heavy rain, so we are storing some water as part of school preparations," she said.
Her mother, Mumtaz Barro, explained that the well, used by generations of her family, is their fallback when their primary water source, a mountain spring, dries up.
"During the dry season, we call the Water Authority of Fiji for water, but it takes two weeks to arrive," she said.
Sugarcane farmer Daya Prasad shared his frustration, saying that despite raising the issue at various ministerial consultations, progress remains stagnant.
"In January 2023, Minister Ditoka assured us he would act, and during last year's Budget Consultation, Minister Prasad said the Government would prioritise roads, water, and infrastructure. Yet, nothing has changed," Mr Prasad said.
Another resident, Ronesh Singh, a student at Tabia Sanatan College, said he often checks the well's water level to ensure his family has enough for emergencies.
"We rely on the landowner's water source, but it's not always sufficient," he said, adding that shared use of the well often leads to illness among users.
Currently, 19 homes in Yalava remain without access to treated water.
While inspections for borehole projects have been conducted, no progress has been made in over two years.
Minister Tuisawau has assured that he will direct the Public Works Department and the Water Authority of Fiji to investigate the issue.
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