Over $20m spent on water carting services in 3 years

Water carting services for households affected by water supply disruptions cost in total over $20 million from 2021 to 2024.

Carting services cost the Water Authority of Fiji (WAF) over $7.4 million in 2023-2024, $8.3 million in 2022-2023, and $4.8 million in 2021-2022. Over this three year period, capital expenditures grew, while operating expenditures fluctuated.

The cost of water carting related to engagement of contractors, fuel, logistics, and fleet maintenance.

Minister for Public Works Ro Filipe Tuisawau said in response to a Parliamentary Written Question, that the higher costs were due to increased weather events, such as prolonged droughts.

To ensure communities in need have access to water, WAF deployed between 40 to 50 contracted trucks for carting services across the country in addition to 29 vehicles to serve non-metered and rural areas weekly.

"Water carting remains an emergency measure," Ro Filipe added.

"The Authority continues to invest in long-term infrastructure resilience and treatment plant upgrades to reduce over-reliance on this costly and reactive intervention."

The Minister confirmed that all contractor payments for water carting services are made electronically after WAF transitioned fully to online bank-to-bank transfers, forgoing issuance of cheques and reducing payment delays.

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