Residents of Dramasi in Tavua will be assessed this week for a possible borehole to improve access to water, as the community continues to face difficulties without a permanent water supply.
While responding to questions by fijivillage News, Minister for Lands Filimoni Vosarogo says the team responsible for the Airborne Electromagnetic coverage will visit the community to verify the location and identify a suitable site for drilling.
He says the proposed intervention involves drilling a borehole, installing a pump and providing a storage tank connected to a standpipe, which will serve as a temporary water collection point for residents.
Vosarogo says the drilling work will be outsourced to G. Nadan.
He says the approach has been discussed with the Water Authority of Fiji and the National Disaster Risk Management Office as part of the response to the El Niño weather pattern currently affecting Fiji.
Vosarogo further says the same strategy is being recommended for areas designated as water-stressed red zones, with WAF and the Ministry of Lands and Mineral Resources jointly assessing available surface water and groundwater sources to determine the most suitable interventions.
He says where groundwater is viable, priority will be given to drilling a borehole and installing a pump, storage tank and standpipe to provide a temporary water supply point.
Vosarogo says a similar approach is being implemented in Namara, where an existing borehole will be equipped with a pump and connected to a storage tank and standpipe while further groundwater sources are explored.
However, he says Namara has low groundwater potential due to saline water intrusion, meaning a reliable and sustainable surface water supply remains the most appropriate long-term solution for that area.
Meanwhile, for Dramasi, WAF has also told fijivillage News that it intends to submit a proposal under the Government’s Public Sector Investment Programme for the design and construction of a water supply extension network for Dramasi.
However, WAF says extending a permanent supply presents significant engineering challenges due to the area’s elevation and limitations in the existing infrastructure.
The Authority says the current network does not have sufficient hydraulic capacity to supply elevated sections of the community, and substantial upgrades to reservoirs, pipelines and associated infrastructure would be required.
WAF says implementation of the proposed extension will depend on funding approval and national infrastructure priorities.
In the meantime, it says it will continue providing water carting assistance and working with affected communities while pursuing long-term solutions.
