Bua gets $200K water treatment system

Groundwater quality issues in Bua have required additional treatment before the new borehole water supplies can be used.

The Mineral Resources Department has installed a specialised system costing more than $200,000, on top of the two borehole projects valued at over $630,000.

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka commissioned two borehole projects at Dama and Lekutu yesterday.

This will help provide improved water access for hundreds of students, teachers and villagers under the Fiji-Australia Vuvale Partnership.

The projects address water supply needs at Dama District School, Lekutu Primary and Secondary Schools and Votua Village, where households and school communities stand to benefit from a more reliable source of water.

The Dama project, completed at an estimated cost of $230,000, serves about 180 people, including students, school staff and residents of seven staff quarters.

At Lekutu, a project valued at more than $400,000 benefits about 350 students, teachers and family members. It also serves 64 households in Votua Village, with a population of around 255.

Rabuka said the system, procured from Australia and reported to be the first of its kind in Fiji, was designed to address the area’s geological conditions and improve water quality.

He acknowledged Australia’s continued support, saying the partnership was helping deliver essential infrastructure to rural communities.

But the Prime Minister stressed that commissioning the projects was only part of the task, urging school management, village leaders and beneficiaries to take responsibility for maintaining the facilities.

Rabuka called for regular maintenance, prompt reporting of faults and protection of the surrounding environment to ensure the systems continue serving future generations.