The Fiji Roads Authority had allowed Water Authority of Fiji to dig a trench across Waimanu Road to carry out repairs to fix a leaking pipe.
This has been confirmed by FRA CEO, John Hutchinson after Fijivillage raised the issue on why a trench was dug up across the road after it was properly sealed last month.
Hutchinson says that the leaking pipe affected supply of water to nearby businesses and if left unrepaired it will cause further damage to the road.
He says that after the repair works were finished the FRA contractor has re-sealed the dug up portion.
Hutchinson says that neither the FRA nor the Water Authority can predict where and when a water line will start leaking.
The CEO adds that earlier they had mentioned that this is a “mini rehab” project and FRA is replacing the seal along select portions of Waimanu Road to hold it until the major road upgrading work takes place in 2018.
He stresses that these future road works will be intensive and it will involve the replacement of water mains and storm water pipes in Waimanu Road which will provide a long term fix for the problem.
Hutchinson says that most of the water infrastructure in Suva was laid during the colonial days and most of them have gone past their serviceable life and now more shops are connecting into these water mains in the City.
Hutchinson says in this case the leakage occurred after the FRA had completed their works.
He also reveals that the cost of reinstatement will be billed to the Water Authority however he did not say how much was the cost for sealing the Waimanu Road or re-sealing the dug out trench
