World Water Day is on Monday and the FIJI Water Foundation plans to announce the approval of more than $500,000 for its first round of new projects this year. They include seven clean water projects, a news release said.
“Following Cyclone Tomas, FIJI Water is also co-ordinating with Fiji Red Cross Society and others to get water to those that need it most in the critical post-disaster period. More than 2,400 litres are currently on their way to outer islands and evacuation centres.”

The company is also highlighting its role in the Fiji community and economy.

It says in addition to being one of Fiji’s leading exports, FIJI Water is making a significant contribution to the economy that’s not just measured in jobs.

The news release said: “We provide all 400 of our Fiji-based workers with a true living wage, bonuses, and benefits including weekly water rations.

“We invest in our human resources by providing in-house health care, offering opportunities for local and overseas skills development, and regularly bringing world-class technicians in to train our local employees in hygiene and water production.

“In all the villages, settlements, and schools surrounding our factory, FIJI Water has worked with local leadership to construct sustainable, clean water projects and provide technical assistance where necessary.

“These projects provide 24,570,000 litres of water per year for more than 2,250 people. We’ve facilitated the establishment of water committees engaging women, youth and our employees in these villages to control usage and oversee maintenance of the water resources.

“During the January 2009 floods, FIJI Water suspended production and mobilised its fleet of trucks to deliver more than 1,000,000 litres of water to communities and evacuation centres, reaching more than 20,000 people.

“FIJI Water regularly makes water available to schools, hospitals, organisations and communities during times of need. To date, 600 litres have been donated to the Ministry of Health to assist affected communities during the recent typhoid outbreak. We also donated 136,000 litres of water to Haiti in the wake of the recent earthquake.

“We encourage our employees to get involved in their communities. Last October more than 60 FIJI Water employees volunteered their weekend to install 160 water filters in two Ba villages which had suffered from lack of water during the 2009 floods.

These filters are currently serving more than 800 people.”

Fiji Water Foundation: Established in 2007, the FIJI Water Foundation has grown to investing $850,000 per annum towards projects in education, health, and water and infrastructure development.

It has directly funded water improvement projects at 23 schools and villages, assisting more than 5,900 people throughout Fiji. Its premier support as a founder of the Rotary Pacific Water for Life Foundation has helped make access to safe, clean water available to more than 25,000 people in communities all over Fiji.