Following heavy rain in recent days, people living in the greater Suva area are again facing water supply issues this Mother's Day due to turbidity problems at the Tamavua Water Treatment Plant, and no timeline has been given for when supply will normalise.
Water Authority of Fiji says recent heavy rainfall has impacted three key water catchments at Tamavua Water Treatment Plant — Headworks 3, Savura, and Waimanu — resulting in elevated turbidity levels at our intakes and raw water pump stations.
They says the Tamavua Water Treatment Plant is designed to treat up to 60 million litres per day of raw water and to manage the situation, inflows have been cautiously increased—first to 65 million litres per day, then to 72 million litres per day—as turbidity levels gradually improve.
WAF says however, this remains below the optimal inflow of 75 million litres per day normally required to meet customer demand.
They say higher-than-usual turbidity has also required more frequent filter backwashing, further limiting production as as a result, plant output has temporarily reduced to around 85 percent of normal capacity.
WAF says this has caused a significant drop in reservoir levels—by approximately 2 metres—leading to low water pressure and intermittent supply, particularly in elevated areas.
They say their teams are working around the clock to restore full water treatment and supply capacity as soon as raw water quality improves.
The Authority says their priority is to return to the full inflow of 75 million litres per day and enable recovery of reservoir levels.
WAF says while valve operations and supply management measures were implemented overnight and early this morning, their effectiveness has been limited by the low reservoir levels.
They say these operations will continue during off-peak hours to support gradual recovery.
The Authority is urging people who are receiving water intermittently through rationing to store sufficient water while supply is available as this will help ensure household needs can be met while the system stabilizes.
Affected elevated areas include Namadi Heights, Princes Road, Rewa Street, Ratu Sukuna Road, Nailuva, Delainavesi, the higher elevated parts of Lami, Panoramic, Waiqanake and Togalevu.
Residents supplied by the Nagatugatu Reservoir are facing no water in elevated areas such as Wrong Turn, Sakoca, Upper Khalsa, Tacirua Heights, and nearby areas around the Nagatugatu Reservoir.
People depending on the Tacirua Reservoir are experiencing low pressure to no water in Tamavua Koro, Upper Ragg Avenue, Deovji Street, Tacirua Bus Stop, Amputch Street, Princes Road, LDS, Twomey Hospital area and Bel Air Road.
Those receiving water from the Dokanisuva Reservoir are facing low pressure to no water, particularly from the Seventh Day Church in Dokanisuva to Tacirua Fijian School and Vunuleba Settlement.
Areas affected under the Colo-i-Suva Reservoir include Naisogo, the Colo-i-Suva Crest Chicken area, Princes Road, Marshall Road, Taqairua, Vunikawai, Uluibeka, Colanaivau, Valesasa, Naitaqiri, and Nillgrey, all experiencing low water pressure or no supply.
People relying on the Shipping Reservoir are experiencing low pressure to no water in areas such as Quality Printing, Valemanumanu, Saint Giles Hospital area, Mali, and Walu Bay.
WAF says water carting is also being provided for temporary relief in severely affected areas.
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