[File Photo]

Residents in Savusavu and surrounding communities are growing increasingly frustrated with the Water Authority of Fiji (WAF) after weeks of ongoing water disruptions, leaving hundreds of households without a reliable supply since last year.

Some families say they have been without running water for weeks, forcing them to rely on rainwater, nearby creeks, and bottled water to meet their daily needs.

Naverea resident Rahima is pleading with authorities to urgently restore water, saying the situation has become unbearable for the elderly and other vulnerable residents.

“I am 86 years old and I can’t even move around. This water problem is really affecting me, and it’s almost a week now. The weather is hot and we need water. Now we are just waiting for rain, but the buckets are all dried up,”

Another resident, Azmat Ali, says families are scraping by on limited stored water as dry weather conditions continue.

“They visited us on Monday afternoon when it was raining heavily and told us water would be restored as soon as possible, but we are still waiting. This area has actually been without water for the last 14 days,”

In Nacekoro, villager Virisila Kaseti says residents are being forced to rely on nearby creeks, despite concerns over water quality and a lack of clear explanation from the Water Authority.

She says while residents have little choice, they are turning to creeks and rivers as piles of dirty laundry grow, highlighting the daily struggle to access water for basic survival.

Meanwhile, the Water Authority of Fiji says water supply in Savusavu is gradually returning to normal following heavy rain and flooding in the area as blocked intakes have now been cleared, production has reached about 70 percent, and supply is expected to improve to 90 percent in the coming days.

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