Council to address blocked drain issue

THE Suva City Council is working to address the issue of blocked drains within the capital city, says SCC special administrators chair Tevita Boseiwaqa.

During heavy downpour, many streets around the municipal market and MHCC become flooded, much to the dismay of locals. Apart from structural issues, indiscriminate littering of rubbish has also been identified as a potential cause for blocked drains in the city.

In a statement, Mr Boseiwaqa said after these serious concerns were raised about blocked drains, the SCC was working with the Fiji Roads Authority to resolve the issue.

“The Suva City Council is looking at the drainage 30 metres from the surface and FRA is responsible for below that,” he said.

“FRA went underground two weeks ago and looked at the drains while the Water Authority of Fiji is also involved as they are dealing with sewerage.”

Mr Boseiwaqa said even though SCC could clear blocked drains, those structures that were continually flooded also faced structural issues.

He said the drainage structure was also an issue as there were some areas which needed to be repaired and maintained due to ageing.

“There are other reasons contributing to blocked drains such as climate change where the city is on the coast and is being affected by rising sea level and heavy rain.

“Throwing rubbish and solid waste irresponsibly can also lead to blockages. In some cases, illegal building of houses and not following engineering guidelines is also an issue as this disturbs the drainage and even the sewerage system.

“Illegal drainage or rainwater flowing into the sewerage is also contributing to the issue.”