Villagers Face Issue With Access To Clean Water

Ensuring accessibility to clean drinking water by people of Udu district in Macuata Province is a project the Government wants to improve.

Assistant Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, Sakiusa Tubuna, highlighted that clean drinking water remains an issue villagers faced daily.

He visited villagers along the district on Friday.

“I will be meeting with the Water Authority of Fiji (WAF) if we can do something on this and help people receive clean drinking water,” Mr Tubuna said.

He said some villagers relied on borehole for their water needs, but, a permanent solution should be sought.

Villages visited were: Nukudamu, Vunikodi and Nabuono.

“There has been a lot of complaints made to Government on the need to improve the district water infrastructure,” he said.

Mr Tubuna said this issue should be addressed strategically because water was a daily necessity and younger children required quality drinking water for better health.

“I will ask the WAF to check the water source in Udu because there are locations where spring water exists,” he said.

A large catchment plant is being explored for construction at Udu to ensure the sustainability of its growing population.

“This catchment plant can facilitate water supply to these three villages and a school at Udu,” he said.

Due to the district’s vast landscape boat transportation remains their main source of movement.

“Government can support with the purchase of a new boat fiber engine, but, it will be 2/3 assistance while the other 1/3 has to be collected by the villagers,” he said.

Mr Tubuna added the onus was on people if they showed interest in contributing to the project as well.

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