A persistent sewer overflow issue in Rifle Range, Lautoka, has finally been resolved after residents raised concerns about waste flowing into drains and a nearby creek for over six months.
Residents along V.M. Pillai Road had been stressing serious health risks to children playing near the affected area and ongoing discomfort caused by the foul smell, especially for the elderly and during community events.
One resident share that the only action taken was the use of chemicals to mask the problem, not fix it.
The Water Authority of Fiji has confirmed that its operational team responded last Monday and cleared a blockage in a sewer manhole, which had been causing the overflow.
The accumulated sludge was removed, and normal operations were restored the same afternoon, preventing further discharge into the environment.
WAF says it is now focusing on long-term prevention, including high-pressure jet flushing, vacuum cleaning, and CCTV inspections across the Lautoka CBD sewer network.
The data from these inspections will guide targeted infrastructure upgrades through both operational and capital investment programmes, aimed at strengthening the system and avoiding future issues.
