The Water Authority of Fiji is considering full corporatisation and increasing water tariffs to make it more viable and to reflect the true cost of service provision.
While speaking on fijivillage Straight Talk with Vijay Narayan at the Tamavua Water Treatment Plant, WAF CEO, Dr Amit Chanan says there are many private sector and multi-lateral development partners who are willing to help but they are asking that they need to finish the corporatisation process and serious conversations about the tariff.
When asked about the issue of the increasing cost of living situation, Dr Chanan says people pay 15 cents for 1,000 litres of water, which is the cheapest in the Pacific.
He says in terms of affordability, there is a scheme already in place where households earning less than $30,000 get free water and they are not saying at all to change that and they want to preserve it in any future arrangements.
Dr. Chanan stresses they do need to have a serious conversation regarding the tariff which needs to reflect the true cost of service provision.
He says there is no incentive for people to save water because it is so cheap.
In his message to people who do not get water 24/7, Dr Chanan says they are working on providing reliable water supply to all Fijians and says this is the dream that gets them up in the morning and with support from the government, they will be able to deliver that dream.
