[File Photo]

Many communities in the Northern Division are facing challenges in accessing drinking water as water sources are drying up.

Residents of Papalagi near Vunivutu in Nadogo, Macuata is one such community.

They are working with the Mineral Resources Department in identifying areas to construct boreholes to supply them with much-needed water, especially during the dry season.

Advisory Councilor, Jitendra Prasad says it’s over 20 years now they have been affected by the lack of a consistent water supply.

”When the rain starts, rainy season – we can get water here. After two months, two and a half months, people go around with the sled, they bring water on the sled with the bullocks. Also, they call Water Authority for the cartage, they supply water from Labasa Town.”

Prasad adds previous water sources have dried up and they continue to look for new sources to supply them with water.

The Mineral Resources Department has drilled two boreholes in two different areas in Papalagi and the third one in Nasealevu, all near Vunitu Village.

Minister for Infrastructure, Jone Usamate says the boreholes will sustain villagers during the dry season.

”Our next challenge now is to make sure that we can do the budget or find the funding to get the reticulation done. For these three boreholes, it will cost us around $140,000 to get the water pumped up, put into the storage tanks and distributed.”

Over fifty families stand to benefit from these three borehole projects.