Monday, 06 July 2026 | The Water Authority of Fiji (WAF) this week held its 2026 Annual Customer Forum for the Central Division in Suva.
Themed “Building trust through customer engagement,” the forum brought customers and WAF’s Executive Management together for an open exchange on the services WAF provides and how they can be improved.
WAF CEO Seru Soderberg thanked those who attended and took part.
“I thank our customers for giving their time to the forum. It matters because it gives us a chance to hear directly from the people we serve, and for them to hear directly from us.”
Mr Soderberg said WAF’s purpose is straightforward — to provide water and sanitation services that support a better life: clean drinking water for public health, reliable supply for economic activity, and proper wastewater treatment to protect Fiji’s waterways and oceans.
“The forum is about an honest conversation with our customers — what we are getting right, where we need to do better, what we have delivered, and what we plan to do next,” he said.
Over the past year, WAF has worked to strengthen service delivery through infrastructure upgrades, smart metering, digital tools and improved customer service channels. WAF currently provides access to safe drinking water for 99% of Fiji’s urban population and 62% of the rural population, reaching more than 820,000 people.
Mr Soderberg said meeting Fiji’s water needs over the long term will require sustained investment and shared effort. To guide this, WAF has adopted the Water Sector Strategy 2050 (WSS2050), the country’s first long-term national roadmap for the water and wastewater sector.
“The WSS2050 gives us a clear direction for the next three decades — guiding the investment and actions needed to deliver reliable, resilient and sustainable services for future generations,” he said.
The strategy identifies more than $8 billion in investment needed to renew ageing assets, expand coverage, strengthen climate resilience, and keep pace with a growing population and economy. Mr Soderberg noted this is a national undertaking rather than one WAF can deliver on its own.
“This will take partnership — with government, communities and our customers. Your feedback and experience help us make better decisions and deliver better outcomes,” he said.
Discussion at the forum focused on longer-term water security and sanitation: the direction of the sector over the coming decades and the level of investment it will require. A Q&A session gave participants the opportunity to put questions directly to Executive Management.
Similar forums will be held in the Western and Northern Divisions in the coming months.