Praneeta Prakash 
[File Photo - Tamavua Water Treatment Plant]
The Water Authority is hopeful that the upcoming upgrade of the Tamavua Water Treatment Plant will significantly improve the water supply in the area.
Acting Chief Executive Seru Soderberg stresses the importance of this upgrade, especially in light of recent surges in turbidity levels, which have impacted water production.
High turbidity at the Tamavua plant has led to a reduced production capacity, affecting reservoir levels and the water supply to various areas.
Soderberg says that the solution to this issue is a two-phase approach, one of which is the Sawani to Colo-i-Suva project, which has been tendered and is currently going through the approval process.
“This would effectively rezone the upper Tamavua system under the Viria Water Supply Feed Zone and also the upgrading of the Tamavua Water Treatment Plant which also is being financed by the Government of Fiji to upgrade the treatment capacity at Tamavua.”
Soderberg says the Tamavua plant, designed for a 60-megalitre daily output, is currently struggling to meet demand, processing approximately 75 million liters per day.
He says they are operating the Tamavua treatment plant at around 115 percent any changes in the raw water quality impacts the ability of the treatment plant, being at a lower rating, to effectively treat the water.
He adds that they reduce the inflow is because there’s also national drinking water quality standards that they have to abide by.
