[Source: Water Authority of Fiji/Facebook]

The Water Authority of Fiji is hoping that work on the damaged main pipeline from Tamavua to Suva can be completed by tomorrow.

The burst main occurred after a contractor working for another organization was conducting horizontal directional drilling and ended up damaging the trunk yesterday.

This has impacted the greater Suva area, including Walu Bay, Mead Road, Samabula, Lami, Waimanu, and Rewa Street residents.

[Source: Water Authority of Fiji/Facebook]

Chief Operations Officer Seru Soderberg reveals that the delay is due to the close proximity of their main to EFL and TFL cables, which limits their excavation works.

“So it’s a major, high-voltage line, and if we do damage it, the likelihood of somebody losing their life on site is highly likely. So that’s causing the slowing down of our excavation works because we have to manoeuvre ourselves in between these services.”

Soderberg adds that currently, 40 water trucks are supplying water to affected areas and schools, and they are planning to get 10 more trucks.