WAF urges public to refrain from opening fire hydrants
Water Authority of Fiji (WAF) is urging members of the public to refrain from opening fire hydrants on road sides.
This was after a few cases were reported to the authority on the tampering and opening of the fire hydrants along the Suva corridor when water was disrupted over the past two days.
A statement issued by the authority yesterday stated that a fire hydrant along Kauvesi Park in Raiwai had been damaged causing system imbalances and affecting the hydraulics of the water supply in the area.
“Tampering with WAF assets simply slows the delivery of water to those Fijians who are without water right now and this also results in wastage of water from the reticulation system.
“The impacted service reservoirs need to be filled to capacity in order to increase pressure on the reticulation while continuing to bleed the system by opening wash out valves and fire hydrants to remove trapped air in the pipelines so water supply is fully restored in taps,” it said. Attempts to get a comment from the authority responsible, the National Fire Authority were unsuccessful.
Water Restoration
Since yesterday, 90 per cent of areas affected along the Nasinu to Suva area had their water supply restored.
WAF continues to work round-theclock to normalise water supply to residents in the elevated parts of Nasinu and certain areas in Suva, said the statement.
Meanwhile, residents of Raiwai and Raiwaqa are still waiting for their water supply to be restored for three days now.
Mili Racaca of Bryce Road, Raiwaqa, shared her frustration as no water trucks or water tanks were put in a place around her neighbourhood.
“It has been three days now we’ve had no running water in our home,” she said.
“We are thankful someone opened this fire hydrant in Avon Place and it has been a source for many residents here these past few days. We can leave without electricity but without water in our homes, it just creates so many problems.” Ms Racaca was seen filling buckets of water with her nephews at the fire hydrant.
The families around the area were told that water would be restored around six o’clock yesterday morning.
“We were awake by 5am but still there was not even a drop of water. “For us residents, we cannot do much at this stage because there has been no sign of any Water Authority officers in our area. We need water for bathing, washing dishes and drinking water that is why we are using this fire hydrant,” she said.
Vasemaca Puamau of Mcfarlane Road, Raiwai, echoed similar sentiments.
“I was expecting the water to be restored by now, but it is quite disappointing that there have been no updates,” she said.
“So, the boys here in our neighbourhood have resorted to opening this fire hydrant to help families here because we cannot do much as there is not even a drop of water coming from our taps.”