Salt level in tap water last week was not dangerous - Soderberg

The salty tap water for residents living in Samabula and parts of Suva that resulted from salt water intrusion into the pumping station was not dangerous.

This has been highlighted by Water Authority of Fiji Chief Operating Officer Seru Soderberg after concerns were raised by some residents that the tap water tasted like ORS.

He says they did the test last week and noted there was a presence of salt in the water and have attributed it to their back up pump in Tamavua.

Soderberg says as the tide came up, the salt water would have gotten into the pump before they switched it off.

He says the salt content is not excessive but they have advised their teams to flush out the system to remove any other salt content that would be sitting within the system.

WAF CEO Dr. Amit Chanan says water was treated which can take out any of the impurities and any harmful organisms from water but it cannot take out dissolved salt.

He says that is the reason they located the new Viria River Project almost 50 kilometres upstream of the river mouth.

Soderberg adds the particular intake for the Viria Water Project was initially planned to be installed just opposite Kasavu Village but when salinity tests were done, they noted that salt intrusion had gone past that point and that is why the relocation of the entire treatment plant and the entire set up of the infrastructure was done at Viria.