THE Water Authority of Fiji will build a $6.8 million proper sewerage treatment facility for Savusavu in the next two years.
Newly appointed chief executive officer Opetaia Ravai outlined this as one of the long-term projects he has envisioned to undertake during his three-year contract term with the authority.
Savusavu does not have a sewerage treatment plant for the region which has a huge impact on tourism, the authority said.
Economic growth in the area is expected to enhance through overseas trade among development once the treatment plant is built, authority spokeswoman Kelera Serelini said.
"The WAF found that a lot of developments were held up due to unavailability of a proper sewerage treatment facility thus the need to undertake this project," she said yesterday.
Mr Ravai set as one of his primary priorities the need for an overhaul of the country's sewerage treatment plants which date back 30 years.
The need for the authority to improve the sewerage treatment plant is warranted by the population growth coupled with the increase in demand for water and the strain sewerage system, he said.
Mr Ravai said the area of sewerage treatment was a negligible one where past management was concerned and, "for whatever reason there were".
He said sewerage treatment warranted environmental and corporate responsibility, which the authority would uphold through world standard practice so that effluence posed minimal to no harm to the marine and river ecosystems when disposed off.