2. WATER AUTHORITY REVEALS BIG PLANS FOR TAVEUNI
The Water Authority of Fiji (WAF) is working to provide the people living in the Northern end and the Southern part of Taveuni Island with a proper water supply.
WAF chief executive officer Opetaia Ravai made the announcement during a press conference on Thursday saying that by early next year works will begin on the island. “On the Northern end of the island, by March next year, the Water Authority of Fiji will commence with preliminary survey and design for the dam and pipeline from the dam to the Naselesele Reservoir.
After this, the construction of a new dam at the Vakaderebua source will take place, as will the installation of a five kilometre pipeline and the installation of dosing pumps for treatment,” said Mr Ravai. He said this would cost around $3.2million, while an additional $3.6million will see the construction of a Water Treatment Plant (WTP); this would include the road works to the Treatment Plant site.
“This will include Land acquisition for the Water Treatment Plant Site, the pipe work for the source to the treatment plant as well as the engineering survey, design and supervision. Another $2.6million will used for the pipe works. This is from the Water Treatment Plant to the Naselesele Reservoir.”
The authority will also seek Government funding to undertake the works. Mr Ravai said the WAF Land Acquisition Unit had started consultations with the respective landowners.
“It is projected that, barring any unforeseen issues, the Land Acquisition process will be finalised by March 2017. One of the challenges of land acquisition is that 40 per cent of land in Taveuni is freehold and mostly foreign-owned. So it takes quite a while to secure new sites for water supply systems,” Mr Ravai said. WAF is analysing two potential water sources to determine which would be most viable to enable the expansion of the Southern Taveuni Water Supply System, towards the North of Taveuni, to include all communities from Qarawalu to Welagi. This analysis is expected to be completed by February 2017. “WAF is totally committed in resolving the water supply issues in Taveuni,” Mr Ravai said.