Minister for Infrastructure, Ro Filipe Tuisawau visited the Water Authority of Fiji’s Savura pump station.

The new Infrastructure Minister’s number one priority is water management, and the Water Authority of Fiji is relishing the opportunity to brief him on some of the challenges.

Recently, Minister for Infrastructure Ro Filipe Tuisawau visited the Savura pump station, which is a key water source for the Tamavua Water Treatment Plant with 28% of its raw water sourced from the facility.

WAF CEO, Dr Amit Chanan says they’ve discussed the vulnerability of the site to flooding due to climate change and the measures that have been taken to address this issue.

“It is an asset built in the 1940s—a different climate era and it is no longer climate resilient, so that was another example of where the need for investment in water infrastructure was clear and he is appreciating that.”

WAF CEO, Dr Amit Chanan. 

Dr Chanan says three out of the five pumps at the site have already been raised above flood level as a protective measure.

However, he adds that more investment is needed to lift the remaining two pumps and to modify the design of the headworks, which are frequently blocked at present.