Toxic discharge from an underground culvert near the Nabua Sewerage
Pump Station has resulted in several dead eels in the stream located
beneath the Jerusalem Road bridge in Nabua, Suva and as a critical
precautionary measure, the Department of Environment strongly advises
the public to avoid any form of use until further notice.

The Department of
Environment says they received a report at approximately 3:43pm on
Tuesday that a bluish discoloration was observed at the stream
located beneath the bridge.

They say officers
from the Department immediately conducted a site inspection and
traced the source of the discharge to an underground culvert near the
Nabua Sewerage Pump Station.

The Department says
after deploying drones, officers conducted an aerial survey to trace
the source and assess the extent of the discharge.

The inspection
confirmed that raw sewage was overflowing from the culvert and
discharging directly into the stream, where it mixed with the bluish
substance observed in the water.

The Department
confirms that investigations have established that the Nabua Sewerage
Pump Station had been non-operational since Christmas, causing sewage
to back up and spill into the waterway.

They have assessed
that the bluish substance was likely disposed of into the sewerage
system upstream and was subsequently released into the stream as a
result of the pump station failure.

The Department says
they are working closely with the Water Authority of Fiji and the
Suva City Council to contain the incident, assess environmental
impacts, and prevent any further discharge.

They confirm the
pump station has since been restored to operational status, and the
bluish discoloration in the stream has dissipated naturally.

They say
environmental monitoring and investigations remain ongoing.

Permanent Secretary
of Environment and Climate Change, Dr Sivendra Micheal says the
safety of the public and the protection of Fiji’s environment
remain their top priorities.

He says they will
continue to monitor the situation closely, implement corrective
actions, and keep communities informed as investigations progress.

Dr Micheal adds the
Department of Environment treats this incident with utmost
seriousness and remains committed to safeguarding public health and
Fiji’s environment.

Further questions have been sent to the Water Authority of Fiji and the Dr Micheal.