Twenty households in Matamaivere Village in Namara, Tailevu, about 19 kilometres from Nausori Town, now have a safer source of water supply after the Water Authority of Fiji (WAF) installed Rain Water Harvesting systems.
At the commissioning of the project on Wednesday 2nd May, the Roko Tui Tailevu, Iliesa Delasau was Chief Guest, when the villagers of Matamaivere gathered and celebrated the commissioning of their water project.
WAF Chief Operating Officer, Samanmal Ekanayake, said, “The $98,100.00 project saw the installation of twenty sets of 5,200litre water tanks, roof catchments, gutters, and downpipes. The project also saw the installation of pipe fittings, tees, valves and washouts.”
A ten thousand-litre tank and guttering were also installed at the village church. WAF crew members with the assistance of the villagers also repaired a damaged concrete water tank.
Chief Guest, Roko Tui Tailevu, said he was very grateful for the assistance given by the Fijian Government through the Water Authority of Fiji (WAF).
“I would like to thank the Government of the day for this great assistance, this district, the district of Namara has been without water for so long – for more than four to five decades. A big Vinaka vakalevu to the Government of the Day through the Water Authority of Fiji for this assistance,” said Mr Delasau.
Matamaivere Village Headman (Turaga ni Koro), 66-year-old, Emosi Waqairavoka, said “This rainwater harvesting project only applied to 20 houses in the village as the remainder already have their own water tanks. There are 147 people in our village including men, women and children, with a total of 27 households in my village.”
He said the project was also successful, as his villagers had learnt a lot from the skilled WAF staff during the project.
Mr Ekanayake said that WAF is committed to undertaking water projects with the aim of providing clean water and sanitation to all Fijians.