The Water Authority of Fiji was voted the second best country amongst 21 Pacific Island Nations to have the most improved water facility.
The recognition, awarded by the Pacific Water and Waste Association, was declared at the recent Pacific Water Conference and Expo held at Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea from September 13 to 15.
WAF chief executive officer Tony Fullman confirmed the island of Saipan in the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas was recognised as the most improved country.
“We came second to Saipan. But Saipan has 63,000 people and we have 840, 000,” Mr Fullman said.
“Our recognition means that the WAF is on track in doing its job to provide water to people.
“Fiji can be proud of it because not only are we giving water to people, we are making sure it’s good quality water and we are going to everybody, doesn’t matter if you’re in the city, rural area or on the outer island.”
The recognition is a result of a whole range of continuous restructures the WAF undertook.
These include hiring the right people to do the job, establishment of a more functional organisational structure, training, focusing more on the customer identifying customers’ needs and addressing them.
“And that helps us to get all our ducks in a row and to improve services to the people,” Mr Fullman said.
“For example, at the beginning of this year we managed to supply water to 16 villages in Rewa for the first time in over 25 years, that’s more than 2,000 people.”
The WAF aims to provide similar services to the rest of the country to anyone in the community who needs access.
“That’s the focus and the Asia Development Bank and Fiji Government have been helpful in assisting us,” Mr Fullman said.