Residents living along the Mua-Wiwi corridor, particularly in Naselesele Village on Taveuni, have been grappling with a severe water crisis over the past four days, significantly impacting their daily lives. The ongoing dry spell has led to inconsistent and unreliable water access, prompting residents to express urgent concerns about public health and hygiene.
Local resident Marisiale Tale emphasized the severity of the situation, stating that it extends beyond mere inconvenience and has become a serious threat to the well-being of families who struggle to maintain basic hygiene and cooking needs. Despite multiple complaints and pleas for assistance from authorities, residents feel abandoned, having encountered repeated broken promises, including assurances regarding the arrival of additional water trucks that never materialized.
“Families in high-elevation areas have been left completely abandoned,” Tale remarked. He criticized water carting, describing it as a temporary and costly solution that fails to address the long-term lack of infrastructure. Residents are calling for immediate intervention and genuine investments into permanent water supply solutions. “We pay for a reliable service, and we demand one,” he stated, urging government officials to personally visit the affected areas to discuss viable solutions collectively.
Similar sentiments echo across various regions in Fiji, where communities are confronting harsh realities due to water shortages. For example, in Khalsa Road, Suva, residents have faced ongoing water issues for nearly two years, with many families unable to attend school and maintain proper hygiene due to the lack of supply. Residents have reported mounting frustrations over the inadequacy of service and communication from the Water Authority of Fiji (WAF), which has failed to restore reliable access to clean water.
The school system has also been impacted; the prolonged dry spell has forced educational institutions to cut classes short due to insufficient water supply, raising concerns among education officials regarding student safety and well-being.
With many families currently relying on temporary solutions such as rainwater collection and nearby streams, the urgency for a systematic resolution is increasingly pressing. As local communities unite in their demands for long-term infrastructure investments, there is cautious optimism that these challenges may prompt necessary changes. Continuous advocacy from the affected residents signals a collective effort to ensure that their basic needs are met, ultimately enabling a better quality of life for current and future generations.