Residents of Savusavu have been advised to boil all drinking water, including tap or piped water.

The warning was issued by the Public Works Department's Water Engineer (Northern) Timoci Turaga.

Mr Turaga said the reservoir in Savusavu did not have the capacity to fully treat all drinking water because of the high demand and the recent rains.

Although the piped water there complies with World Health Organisation standards, he said it was advisable for people to boil all drinking water because there was no water treatment plant in Savusavu.

As a result, all chlorination and other necessary cleaning processes were done at the reservoir, he said.

Mr Turaga said over the years demand had increased and water that was pumped to the reservoir was supplied to consumers without allowing soil particles to settle.

Mr Turaga said during heavy rain the water was discoloured at times, although it was treated.

He said as a precaution it should be boiled before drinking.

Mr Turaga said work was under way to build a water and sewerage treatment plant in Savusavu. He said treatment plants had the capacity to filter and had several processes to clean the water quickly before it was supplied into the piped system.

Mr Turaga said piped water for Savusavu was being chlorinated at the reservoir through a 'drip feeding' method.

He said workers at the reservoir were trying their best to ensure that water was clean and safe to drink before it is supplied.

Concerns on the quality of water supplied were raised by the sub divisional medical officer Doctor Mohammed Ishaque early this week.

He said all drinking water given to patients was boiled and their water bottles and jugs were also filled with boiled water.

He said this was a common problem in Savusavu and all necessary precautions had to be taken to keep the patients away from water borne diseases.

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