Around 50,000 people are facing water disruptions in the Central Division as a result of damage to the water pumping stations at Waimanu and Wainibuku.
The Water Authority of Fiji has revealed this in a press conference this afternoon.
Authority’s Acting CEO, Saman Ekanayake says a main pipe transporting water from the Waimanu pumping station to the Tamavua Water Treatment Plant has been severely damaged due to a landslide on Tuesday morning.
Ekanayake says crews are addressing the damage and it could take a week for repair works to finish as there are stabilization problems.
He says the Water Authority of Fiji is currently sourcing water from the Savura Pumping Station but this is far too short of providing water to satisfy customer demands.
Ekanayake adds the Tamavua Water Treatment Plant is still recovering from a damage that occurred to a major piece of machinery earlier this week which resulted in water cuts for many people.
He says water carting continues in Tacirua Heights, Khalsa road, Sakoca, Tacirua village, Tacirua 6 miles, Savutalele, Doka nei Suva, Colo-i-Suva, and the Upper Ragg Avenue.
The Authority says that people in many other areas around Suva may experience low water pressure especially in elevated areas.
Moreover, Ekanayake says a combination of electrical faults as well as significant leaks in the delivery system have occurred at the Waila Treatment Plant.
18 trucks have been deployed by the Authority for water carting in the Rewa Delta and areas in Suva.
Meanwhile, a portable water pump has been installed and is currently providing most of Rakiraki town’s water requirements.
Flooding has disrupted the Rakiraki Pumping Station operation.
The Authority says the station’s two pumps that had been clogged with mud should be operational by the end of the end of today and water supply will resume as normal.
The preliminary damage costs to the Water Authority of Fiji assets currently stands in excess of $1.8 million.
