Fiji

FIJI Post-Disaster Needs Assessment
Table 56: Damage and Losses in the Water and Sanitation Sector by Division (F$ million)
Division Damage Losses Total Effects
Central 2.9 2.3 5.2
Eastern 1.9 0.2 2.1
Northern 4.5 0.7 5.2
Western 7.6 4.7 12.3
Total 16.9 7.9 24.8
Source: Estimations by Assessment Team.
Table 57: Damage and Losses in the Water and Sanitation Sector by Ownership (F$ million)
Private Public Total
Damage 0.0 16.9 16.9
Loss 0.1 7.8 7.9
Total 0.1 24.7 24.8
Source: Estimations by Assessment Team.
Social Impact of Damage and Losses
Anecdotal information relates to water transportation over longer distances. 104 The humanitarian response WASH Cluster
distributed supplies (e.g., purification tablets and hygiene kits) to 24,000 people. The WAF network experienced power
outages, which affected the water supply and wastewater systems. Increased risks and vulnerabilities from the disaster
included public health concerns due to the existence of solid waste in public and private areas. The municipalities addressed
this by increasing operational costs and, accordingly, all the excess waste was collected by March 31.
Restoring access to the water supply and sanitation services is critical to reducing public health and safety risks, particularly
for women and girls, who are largely responsible for household water security and sanitation. Thus, water supply disruptions
caused by TC Winston disproportionately impacted on women and girls who had to spend more time fetching clean water,
especially in the days immediately following the cyclone. For example:
water to meet their daily requirements.
water.
identified water storage and access to clean water as a priority that must still be addressed.
Limited access to water combined with disruptions to the electricity supply in some affected areas also means that the
time required to do laundry has increased from about 30 minutes to three hours. In areas where the water supply remains
disrupted, the ability of women and girls to engage in other productive and income-generating activities has been curtailed.
Even in places where water is being supplied, the amount provided is less than the normal household daily intake before
the cyclone. This decreased supply could compromise the ability of households to manage their waste needs and could
lead to a deterioration in sanitary conditions, especially in light of continued rains.
Lack of proper sanitation and access to clean water poses a health threat to women and girls, in particular, given their role
in providing water and ensuring water security. In general, reduced water quantity and quality in response to reduced water
supply could create health problems for women and children under five.
The Damage to WASH facilities, lack of privacy and segregated facilities, and poor light resulting from TC Winston could
increase the risk of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) to women and girls. As most of the rural water supply is
through rural water schemes, enabling communities to restore their water supply should be prioritized in order to reduce
the burden that women and girls are currently facing in securing household water and maintaining good sanitary conditions.
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An attempt at estimating rural loss is as follows, but is not included in the overall figures of this report: extra water bought or transported
longer distances for communities not covered by urban or rural water schemes – F$0.9 million; and increased costs due to insufficient
disposal of liquid and solid waste – F$0.8 million.
Tropical Cyclone Winston, February 20, 2016
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