The Water Authority of Fiji (WAF) is working to get water supply restored to the affected areas in Labasa.
WAF General Manager Customer Services and Acting General Manager Operations, Mr Sekove Uluinayau said that since the discovery of a burst to the DN300 under-river Benau to Volanau distribution pipeline, crossing the Labasa River, Nabeka, Siberia, WAF crew members were quick to mobilize at the leakage site to carry out urgent repairs.
“The repair works involved the construction of a temporary coffer-dam with the use of sandbags for the repair crew to access the leakage portion to conduct the needed repairs. We will be carrying out the repairs tomorrow (25/07),” explained Mr Uluinayau.
“This repair is complex as the leakage is in the river, compared to normal repairs that we normally carry out on the mainland. We have to wait for the river levels to recede in order to place the sandbags, so that is a contributing factor to the slight delay that is being experienced.”
Mr Uluinayau said that an access road was also done to allow workers, machinery, and excavators to access the Labasa river bank. “This leakage had drastically reduced our treated water levels, resulting in a lot of water disruptions to customers. Our services to customers in Labasa was affected as this leakage was unforeseen, we are working to get water supply normalized, hopefully within the next few days,” said Mr Uluinayau. Mr Uluinayau said that the Authority highly regrets the inconvenience caused to its customers in Labasa, especially to customers living in Qawa, Vunivau, Basoga, Soasoa, Batinikama, Bulileka, Urata, as well as customers in Boubale.
Meanwhile, water carting trucks have been deployed to service the disrupted areas.
For further inquiries, customers can call 3346777 and 5777 (Vodafone, Digicel & Inkk users) or email contact@waf.com.fj