Litia Cava 
Fiscal Review Committee Chair Richard Naidu pointed this out in his address at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva yesterday. [Photo: FILE]
The country’s ageing water infrastructure and shortage of skilled workers are holding back economic growth and investment.
Fiscal Review Committee Chair Richard Naidu pointed this out in his address at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva yesterday.
Speaking at the State of the Economy Dialogue 2026, Naidu said urgent action was needed to address long-standing problems in the water and sewage sector.
He said Fiji has failed to deal with these issues with the urgency they require.
Naidu argued that the Water Authority of Fiji does not have the financial freedom needed to upgrade infrastructure and expand services.
He pointed to the former Fiji Electricity Authority’s transition to Energy Fiji Limited as an example of a utility that gained the ability to sustain itself and invest in growth.
Naidu said EFL now has its own balance sheet and the capacity to expand and invest.
He said the Water Authority remains restricted and underfunded despite growing pressure on ageing infrastructure.
According to Naidu, current water charges do not generate enough revenue to support major investment.
He said the sector is still far from a position where it can fund the improvements needed to provide reliable services.
Naidu said Fiji requires billions of dollars to upgrade water systems, sewage networks, roads and bridges.
