Tavakubu Back Road Settlement Update

Water issues being faced by residents of the Tavakubu Back Road Settlement are due to lots being sold without access or provision of proper water infrastructure in the area, which should have been developed or provided by the developer.

The settlement near Tavakubu cemetery is an informal settlement where the majority of the lot owners have purchased the lots directly from the prior landowners and later applied for leases.

Although the Water Authority of Fiji (WAF) has plans to provide new connections in the future, existing water issues at the settlement are not because WAF is not connecting the residents but because the proper water infrastructure was not developed before the lots were sold.

While we carefully plan and design infrastructure to ensure supply capacity, these kinds of unplanned settlements disrupt the data we use, by introducing extra population beyond initial projections.

Extensions and upgrades for the existing infrastructure are currently in process, however, at the moment, the demand for new connections cannot be met, due to the unplanned increase in population.

Customers will need to formally apply once the necessary infrastructure upgrades have been made.

In the interim, WAF will continue to assist the residents by providing 2,000 litres of drinking water fortnightly, upon request.

Residents are advised to have water tanks for water storage and also ensure that their requests are made in a timely manner.

In the event of a resident delaying their requests beyond the fortnightly schedule, the request will be carried forward to the next fortnight’s schedule.

During times when there is rainfall, WAF also encourages residents to harvest rainwater and store it for use, for added water security.

WAF reminds Fijian to be careful while buying the lands and make sure access to basic infrastructure is available, and at the same time, requests that developers make sure basic services are available at their subdivisions.

For further enquiries, call 3346777 or short code 5777 (all mobile networks) or email contact@waf.com.fj