After 35 years of living in Dramasi, Tavua, Gaayetri Lata says her community is still without permanent water supply, forcing her family to depend on a dam on the foot of the hills and wait for Government water deliveries.
While speaking to fijivillage News, Lata says the situation is difficult because she has to care for her wheelchair-bound husband, look after her son, manage household chores and collect firewood while ensuring there is enough water for the family.
She says she wakes up at 4.30am and, when there is no water, has to go to the dam to collect it.
Lata says the same water is used for cooking, despite the source being open to falling leaves and cattle drinking from it.
She says her family has to carefully manage water for everyday needs, including using a bucket of water for every flush of their toilet and ensuring her husband has water to shower.
Lata says the Government usually delivers about 2,000 litres of water every two weeks, but deliveries sometimes take longer, leaving families struggling to manage.
She says residents receive more water during the rainy season, but dry spells like now create serious difficulties.
With Diwali approaching, Lata says she will have to arrange for a driver to take their van, loaded with washing, to a water source near Fiji Water in Yaqara or in Vatukoula, as other women in the community also do that.
She says residents have waited long enough for a permanent solution, despite many people visiting the community seeking votes over the years.
The situation is also affecting elderly residents and people with disabilities, with Dramasi, Rabulu and Balata Advisory Councillor Urmila Kumar saying some women aged over 80 have to travel long distances to collect water.
Kumar says some women leave their homes as early as 3am to fetch water from the hills, raising concerns about their safety.
She says she has also taken water to households experiencing serious difficulties during the drought.
Kumar says she has repeatedly raised the water issue with the relevant District Officer and has personally applied to the Ministry of Multi-Ethnic Affairs for assistance.
She says the problem affects several communities, including Dramasi, Rabulu and Balata, and that a well dug by the Government is difficult to use because it is narrow, has high walls and needs cleaning.
Responding to questions from fijivillage News, the Water Authority of Fiji says residents are being supplied with water upon request and advises anyone needing water carting services to contact the Authority.
WAF also says it intends to submit a proposal under the Fiji Government's Public Sector Investment Programme for the design and construction of a water supply extension network for the Dramasi community.
The Authority says it remains committed to identifying sustainable solutions to improve water access in the area.
However, WAF says extending a permanent water supply presents significant engineering challenges because of the area's elevation and limitations in the existing water infrastructure.
It says the current network does not have sufficient hydraulic capacity to supply elevated sections of the community, meaning substantial upgrades to reservoirs, pipelines and associated infrastructure would be required.
WAF says any future implementation of the proposed extension will depend on funding approval and national infrastructure prioritisation processes.
In the meantime, the Authority says it will continue providing water carting assistance and working closely with affected communities while pursuing long-term solutions.
Minister for Public Works Ro Filipe Tuisawau says information will need to be channelled through the available mechanisms up to the Commissioner's Office to ensure resources are mobilised and WAF and the National Disaster Risk Management Office supply water.
