Ro Filipe commissions Vunidawa water treatment plant benefiting more than a thousand people

More than a thousand people living in nearby villages and communities in Vunidawa, Naitasiri, will now have access to clean and improved water supply following the commissioning of their new water treatment plant by Minister for Public Works Ro Filipe Tuisawau.

Commissioning the treatment plant, Ro Filipe says this is a symbol of the commitment of the Government to the people of Naitasiri and access to clean water and improved sanitation is the constitutional right of every citizen.

He says as a Government, they will continue to uphold and work with a commitment to their statutory authorities and leadership.

The Minister says water is crucial to the achievement of Fiji’s commitment to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as it plays an important role in the development of Fiji’s infrastructure.

He adds that 98 percent of Fiji’s urban population and 58 percent of the rural population have access to water, and the Government will ensure that they continue to prioritise rural water schemes and those who do not have access to safe and clean water.

Ro Filipe also encouraged the people of Vunidawa to get connected to the new and upgraded water supply scheme and apply for their respective water meters to realise the benefits of the new water project.

He says they are also working on their first-ever water sector strategy 2050 plan and this plan will outline Fiji’s water sector priority projects and programs over the next three decades aimed at transforming how services are delivered, responding to climate vulnerability to services, renewing our ageing water and wastewater infrastructure, contributing to the circular economy and enhancing the natural environment.

He further says the new Vunidawa packaged water treatment plant has a treatment capacity of 500,000 litres per day and can handle high turbidity levels that will guarantee safe, potable and improved water quality and supply during unfavourable weather conditions.

He adds the plant also has a 33KVA backup Genset that has been mobilised and connected to the Vunidawa Treatment Plant to build resilience in WAF’s water production and supply scheme in the Vunidawa.

The construction of water treatment plant and the reservoir is fully funded by the Government with a total cost of $3.3 million.