Litia Cava 
[File Photo]
In 2024, over half of the water extracted by Fiji’s distribution system was lost before it could reach its users.
According to the Fiji Bureau of Statistics, 51.2 per cent of surface water extracted by the Water Authority of Fiji was lost during distribution.
An additional 4.5 per cent was lost in the purification process.
This inefficiency comes at a time when total water extraction increased by 7.6 per cent, signaling a growing demand for water.
Households are the largest consumers, using 65,429 megalitres which accounts for 78.2% of the total water consumption.
Businesses consumed 13,200 megalitres while government entities used 5,063 megalitres.
Despite the increase in overall water extraction, commercial water usage decreased slightly by 2.0 per cent compared to 2023.
While the majority of water comes from WAF, accounting for 90.1 per cent of the total extraction, the losses during distribution raise concerns about the efficiency and sustainability of Fiji’s water infrastructure.
Moving forward, the Fiji Bureau of Statistics plans to include data on alternative water sources such as rainwater and groundwater in future reports.
This will help provide a more comprehensive understanding of water consumption patterns in households and businesses.
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