AUTHORITIES WORK ROUND THE CLOCK TO FIX LEAKING PIPE
Residents in areas affected by the leaking water pipe which is under the Labasa River may have to wait a day or two to get uninterrupted water supply again.
Water Authority of Fiji engineers in Labasa has been working round the clock to address the problem.
Yesterday, the WAF engineers managed to create a cofferdam and expose the pipe. This had allowed them to see the burst, however, with the high tide pressing in, one of the walls had collapsed, flooding the cofferdam again. According to the technical team, they will strengthen the walls again and the low tide would allow them to pump the water out and fix the leakage.
WAF manager North Apeteniko Radrodrolagi said the work was challenging as the work was dependent on the tide.
“We are trying very hard to fix
it as we know a lot of people have been affected,” he said.
“It is also a constant battle with nature but the target is to restore water supply as soon as we can.” Areas that have been affected are Siberia-Batinikama to Vunika-Malau and Vunivau-Basoga to Bulileka-Dreketi Lailai, Vatunibale, Vaturekuka Prison, Low-cost, Urata, Boca Loop Road, Anuve, as well as customers in Boubale.
Residents in these areas confirmed that water supply has been interrupted.
Isabel Chand, a resident of Batinikama said WAF water carting trucks have stuck to routes where buses go.
“I hope that water carting trucks venture into the side roads,” she said.
“We are collecting water but we need water to be running continuously.”