The Water Authority of Fiji (WAF) would like to advise our customers that a burst has developed on the Waimanu Raw Water Rising Main, fed by Pumps 1 and 2, and will be shut down in order to allow our technical team to safely access and excavate the site to assess and determine the extent of the damage.
As these two pumps and main contribute to over 40% of the flow into the Tamavua Water Treatment Plant, we anticipate that production and reservoir levels will be affected significantly.
In preparation for this, customers in the areas listed below are kindly advised to store in their homes, while it is still available, sufficient amounts of water to last them for at least 2 to 3 days and are requested to use water wisely during this time.
Affected areas:
– From Tamavua-i-Wai Bridge through to Togalevu Naval along the Queens Road including all Site Streets
– From PJ Twomey Hospital to Reservoir Road along Princes Road, including all side streets such as Ragg Avenue, Devoji Street, Mead Road, Niraji, Wairua, Upper Mead Road, Lovoni Rd, Loa Street, Goodrum Place, Kaba Road, Saimoni Vatu Place, Bureta Street, Maharaj Place, Tuvana Place, Levuka Street, Tubou Street
– Lakeba Street, including, Helson Street, Nayau Street, Kabara Street, Fulaga Street, Sovu Place, Namuka Street, Moala Street, Vatoa Street, Matuku Street, Totoya Street
– Namadi Heights Including Lower Ragg Avenue, Pathik Cresent, Mika Dreu Place, Padam Lala, Salato Road, Tuisawaqa, Salesi Road and all side streets
– Rewa Street to Flagstaff Roundabout, Including all side streets such as Kikau Street, Milverton Road, Alexander Street, Howell Road.
– Kula Street, Kaka Street, Parts of Gaji Road including Jittu Estate
– Elevated Areas along Laucala Bay and Ratu Sukuna Road
– Waimanu Road including all side streets, including Borron Road, Toganivalu Road, Sawani Street, Extension Street and elevated areas along Amy Street
The burst on the line is a result of the pumps being tripped off which was triggered during a power switch over from our standby Gensets to the power grid, after a planned power outage was restored and normalised this morning (03/03).
The pipe had burst as the Waimanu Raw Water Pump Station pumps raw water uphill and once triggered off all of a sudden, pumping upstream stops and water gravitates towards the pump station house. Once the pumps are activated again, a pressure surge occurs resulting in a burst in the weakest point.
This incident is commonly referred to as a ‘water hammer’.
A water hammer is the result of a pressure surge or high-pressure shockwave that propagates through a piping system when a fluid in motion is forced to change direction or stop abruptly.
Water carting trucks are on standby and can be requested in the case of an emergency by calling 5777 (all mobile networks).
We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused and we seek your patience and understanding until such time the water supply normalises.
For further enquiries, customers can call 334 6777 or short code 5777 (all mobile networks), or email contact@waf.com.fj
#TeamWAF #WAF #FijiNews #WaterForFiji💧 #Fiji