Nadi-Lautoka water supply set for major improvements with $8.3M upgrades by year-end

Water supply for people living along the Nadi to Lautoka corridor is expected to improve by the end of this year as the Water Authority of Fiji is upgrading the Nagado Treatment Plant to Nadele.

While responding to a question in Parliament by Assistant Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, Sakiusa Tubuna on what measures are being undertaken to improve the water supply in the Nadi–Lautoka areas, Minister for Public Works Ro Filipe Tuisawau says the Nadi to Lautoka system faces a supply-demand gap of 5.4 mega litres per day due to outdated infrastructure and insufficient treatment and conveyance capacity.

He says to address these gaps, the Water Authority of Fiji is upgrading the trunk mains, which will ensure better hydraulic performance, improve redundancy and provide flexibility in operations between Nadi and Lautoka.

Ro Filipe says the project costs $8.3 million and the completion date is estimated to be December this year.

The Minister further says the Waraqe to Saru Water Treatment Plant pipeline works are also expected to be completed by December this year.

He says the Waraqe Dam and Saru Water Treatment Plant were first established in 1959 and over the past 64 years, these assets have not undergone substantial upgrades.

Ro Filipe says to address these challenges, a robust design with improved pipe material is being implemented to enhance the resiliency and water convenience capacity, totalling a project cost of $9.7 million.

He further says Vaturu Dam has exacerbated production limitations and water quality compliance issues and to progressively address this, WAF installed an additional 20 mega litres per day treatment plant to increase the treatment capacity, costing $14.6 million.

It is expected to be completed in the first quarter of next year.

He says, unfortunately, setbacks have been experienced due to break-ins and thefts of key essential components.

Ro Filipe is requesting the public to please respect their assets in terms of their public assets supplying basic necessities such as water and even roads and other infrastructure.

He says in addition to those, the planned upgrading of the Wastewater Pump Station and rising main from Denarau Island to Navakai Water Treatment Plant is expected to be completed in 24 to 36 months.

The Minister says the project will cost about $15 million and has been tendered.

He says collaboration has been established with Denarau Plant the Denarau Corporation Limited and the Ministry of Tourism in terms of design, input, and load for Denarau Plant.

While responding to a question by Opposition MP Hem Chand on the security and fencing of Vuda Reservoir in Lautoka as people who live close to the reservoir have raised concerns about youths consuming alcohol in the area, Ro Filipe says they will look into that, however, he says normally their facility or asset is secured.

While responding to a question by Opposition MP Faiyaz Koya on whether there are plans to move wastewater treatment plants at the entrance of Nadi Town and Lautoka City, Ro Filipe says an assessment is ongoing but some landowners do not want this water treatment near their area.

He says they are assessing some of the locations in terms of the viability of the plants being there and alternative locations.