The Water Authority of Fiji teams have conducted assessments overnight on the damages to the raw water trunk main outlet along Savura Road.

The assessments were conducted from Headworks 3 to the Tamavua Water Treatment Plant.

WAF Chief Operating Officer, Seru Soderberg says while the adjoining raw water main is intact, they cannot utilize it until the site is stabilized.

Seru Soderberg says the expected recovery will take well into the weekend, weather permitting.

“We hope to complete the repairs and normalize the water supply situation as soon as possible. Once the repairs are completed, we will begin production gradually to recover the system and get the water supply normalized.”

Soderberg says repairs to the broken trunk main are subject to the stabilization of the site as it is currently saturated with water and unsafe for operating excavators.

WAF’s current focus is to ensure supply to the CWM Hospital and all available water is being supplied to the hospital.

WAF teams have also started distributing clean drinking water to the six zones affected and will continue on a 24-hour roster until pipeline repairs along Savura Road are complete.

50 water tankers have been engaged to provide relief to the affected areas.

Soderberg says the Fiji Roads Authority will stabilize the area. Once completed it will allow WAF to switch over to the pipe that was not damaged by the landslide, however, the water levels will remain well below the required volumes