The Water Authority of Fiji has recorded an increase in demand for piped water connections in the Northern Division.

Chief Executive, Doctor Amit Chanan says this is due to the increase in population and the number of developments happening across Vanua Levu.

Dr Chanan says they are working towards ensuring the demand is catered for.

“The number of applications we getting for new connections are telling us that the Look north policy is working – people are coming in. So as the board of the Water Authority, we need to be at pace with that.”

Dr Chanan also told the Forum, WAF is creating a buffer supply for their customers in Labasa so that development does not outpace the existing supply capacity.

“In Suva right now, we have a shortage of 2 million litres of water everyday between supply and demand. We don’t want that to happen to Labasa, so we already invested in the water upgrade giving 2 million litres of buffer so that the development -as it gets faster and faster – we’ll still be able to maintain the supply.”

WAF’s Northern water supply scheme produces a combined total of 35 million litres of water in a day to its 17, 735 customers from its 39 reservoirs and 19 pumping stations.

The average domestic demand is 220 litres of water per day.