The Water Authority of Fiji has proposed the purchase of 50 treatment plants at a cost of $115 million.

These plants will be installed in strategic locations around the country to improve water and sewerage treatment.

According to the Authority the system is environmentally friendly since it uses solar power, releases treated waste into the environment and will help reduce the country's fuel import bill.

FWA chief executive officer Tony Fullman told the Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama in his submission that the standalone WetSep system was a more feasible alternative to the construction of just six treatment plants, three each for sewerage and water at the same cost.

Fullman said it would also take as long as two years to construct the six plants as opposed to just six months for installing a WetSep system.

He said such a system will require little maintenance, which can be carried out by suppliers on a six monthly basis.

He told the Prime Minister during his tour of the Waila Treatment and Tamavua Treatment Plant yesterday that building a treatment plant will require as much as 15 acres of land however with a WetSep system just a car parking space is enough and it can be hooked up in any village, any island and can serve up to 10,000 20,000 people.

He said if Water Authority gets this system then within 18 months, they can get the whole population of Fiji covered.

He said that WAF would trial out the system next year.

Story by: Sneh Chaudhry