Works on the ruptured main pipeline to start today – Soderberg

The works on the ruptured main pipeline in Savura will commence today, and will go into the evening as the Water Authority of Fiji team and contractor, Flame Tree Developments - Fiji Ltd, worked overnight to stabilize the affected area.

This fault has impacted everyone supplied by the Tamavua Water Treatment Plant which includes Namadi Heights, Upper and Lower Ragg Avenue, Princes Road, Tamavua Village, Savura Road, Narain Road, Wailoku Road, the Samabula area, Bureta Street, Rewa Street, Ratu Sukuna Road, Nailuva Road, Reservoir Road, the entire Walu Bay area, Delainavesi, all of Lami, Waiqanake, and Togalevu.

WAF Chief Operating Officer Seru Soderberg says from yesterday afternoon to last night, the team was doing backfilling, and compaction works to make sure that all the works abide by FRA standards.

He says this is to ensure that in another event, such as what happened on Tuesday, the fall site does not get washed away as well, and they have to make sure it is safe for the general public.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Professor Biman Prasad, visited the work site and inspected the progress of works being carried out as well as efforts to normalise water supply to affected areas within the Suva to Lami areas.

During his site visit, Professor Prasad acknowledged the work being carried out by WAF and FRA, saying the government is very pleased with the way the WAF has quickly got to fixing this major disruption to the system.

Professor Prasad says he was briefed that one of the pipe fittings into the water system will be activated yesterday afternoon, and some restoration of water is likely to take place by yesterday evening.

Also visiting the work site was the Minister for Public Works, Ro Filipe Tuisawau, who said that the team have been working hard in the last 24 hours and overnight to try and normalise water to the Suva Lami Area by tomorrow evening.

He says it was great to have fine weather so the work could continue last night.

Meanwhile, as an outcome of the Emergency Committee meeting last night the NDMO and the National Fire Authority are joining efforts to support the Water Authority of Fiji to cart water to the Colonial War Memorial Hospital in Suva, ensuring that water is readily available for patients and staff members currently working and in admission at the hospital.

The NDMO says their teams have been working since the morning and progressing into the night to ensure that operations at the CWM Hospital are not affected due to the water disruptions presently faced in areas between the Suva-Lami corridor.