Caption: Assistant Minister for Works, Transport and Public Utilities Hon. Vijay Nath (2nd right) and WAF CEO, Opetaia Ravai (right) present Adi Mere Lalakoverata (3rd right) and the Ucunivanua Women’s Club with the storage kegs and water tanks. Photo: SUPPLIED.
October 31, 2015. The Water Authority of Fiji’s (WAF) donation, through the Government, of five water tanks and ten storage kegs to the villagers of Ucunivanua in Verata, Tailevu, provides them with ample storage for their drinking water.
In an initiative instigated by the Assistant Minister for Works, Transport and Public Utilities, Honourable Vijay Nath, the handing over of the water storage equipment to the Ucunivanua Women’s Club took place at the village during the visit on Thursday 29th October by the Honourable Assistant Minister and the WAF CEO, Mr Opetaia Ravai.
Three of the water tanks hold 5,000 litres, two hold 3,000 litres and the kegs have a 20 litre capacity.
The Honourable Assistant Minister said the donation was part of Government’s efforts to provide safe and clean drinking water to the people of Fiji and asked the people of Ucunivanua to take good care of the tanks and kegs for their own benefit.
Mr. Ravai said the tanks and kegs would enable the villagers to store water in clean, safe containers. This is aligned with the WAF Vision to provide sustainable quality water through service excellence.
Speaking on behalf of the villagers and the club members, Club president Adi Mere Lalakoverata said words could not describe how overwhelmed they were for finally receiving such assistance.
“Here in the village, we only have one water tank and this is our only drinking water storage,” Adi Mere said.
As Ucunivanua is comprised of approximately 300 resident in 85 households, this storage tank has been insufficient to the village’s needs.
“We only depended on rain water and when this existing tank dried up, we relied on other villages, or fetch for water source in the forests, or seek WAF’s water carting services. Some of us travelled to Nausori or Korovou to buy or get water from there,” said Adi Mere.
She said that the struggle to access water had led to their “humbly requesting assistance with water tanks from the Honourable Assistant Minister.”
“Now, the households here can share these donated tanks and kegs and we can all store water amicably. We thank the Government of the day and WAF for their tremendous and kind assistance,” she said.
PACIFIC REACH LTD