Infrastructure Minister Jone Usamate.

The government has invested around $9.5million on ground water development projects and has drilled 213 boreholes.

Infrastructure Minister Jone Usamate says out of the 2134 boreholes, 152 were successful, benefiting over 17,000 Fijian since 2010.

Usamate says the work around drilling boreholes is very complex as it deals with people and the environment.

“First of all the ministry has to identify and make available ground resources so it has to go around and identify where there are potential ground water resources and so forth. Identify this because this will be need for human consumption and also for development.”

Usamate says it’s also crucial for the Water Authority to manage the borehole well.

Ministry has successfully completed another 23 ground water survey, 17 ground water drillings and 7 borehole reticulations this financial year.