As dry weather conditions continue to affect water supply in parts of Taveuni, a resident was charged about 15 times more for 20,000 litres of water, with the Water Authority of Fiji saying the amount included transportation and delivery costs, while an earlier $53 charge was for the water only.
The resident raised concerns about the significant difference between the two charges and says he is still waiting for 10,000 litres of the water he paid $792 for on 12th August.
This comes as residents in parts of Taveuni continue to face water supply issues, due to dry weather conditions.
The resident, who also runs a business, says the ongoing supply problems have forced him to pay for water to be delivered to meet his needs.
He says some water usually comes through in the morning, but the pressure is low, and by around lunchtime there is often no water supply at all.
The resident says the unreliable supply is why he had to order 20,000 litres of water from WAF and pay for it to be delivered.
WAF says water costs $26.50 per 5,000 litres, meaning a customer who arranges their own transport would pay $53 for 10,000 litres.
They says residents can use their own trucks, tanks or private transport to collect water from a WAF-approved source and would only be charged for the water.
However, WAF says additional charges apply when the Authority arranges transportation and delivery, with the cost depending on the distance.
They says the Taveuni resident's location falls under Category C, which covers a distance of 21 to 30 kilometres.
Under this category, WAF says each 5,000-litre delivery costs $198, including the water and transportation.
They say four trips using a 5,000-litre truck are required to deliver 20,000 litres, bringing the total cost to $792.
However, the resident says he paid the full $792 on 12th August and has so far received only two deliveries, totalling 10,000 litres.
WAF confirms that two trips were initially made but says their Taveuni staff were told by the resident that he would contact them when he was ready to receive the remaining 10,000 litres.
The resident, however, says he has since made several attempts to contact the WAF team about the remaining water but has not received a response.
WAF maintains that its team is waiting for the resident to contact them so arrangements can be made to deliver the remaining 10,000 litres.
The Authority also confirms that water used for its carting service in Taveuni is sourced from the Waiyevo Filling Point.
WAF says water cart tanks are inspected and flushed daily, while its laboratory team carries out safety tests on water cart trucks every three months.
They says all water supplied through WAF is fully treated.
