THE Water Authority of Fiji launched its $17,000 website yesterday allowing customers to check their utility bill online and plan the next course of action in meeting their payments.
Chief executive officer Opetaia Ravai said the move marked a new basic resource — internet.
Launched by Minister for Works Colonel Timoci Natuva, the website is among the many initiatives taken by the authority to meet objectives of the People's Charter for Change, Peace and Prosperity to make the services world class and offer better service to society, Mr Ravai said.
Col. Natuva said the initiative was bold, historical and augured well with the new age of information communication technology where customer services were concerned.
"The Water Authority of Fiji is fully aware of the importance of relaying information to the community, thus the creation of their website," he said.
The website, he said, was informative, customer friendly and allowed customers to access and retrieve information relating to their respective accounts at the press of a button.
Among a host of services and information provided through the website is access given to customers to download forms for new connections, change of address and ownership, Col. Natuva said.
"Other developments such as paying bills online, will soon be incorporated in the next stage of the website development," he said.
Col. Natuva said the initiative was an example of how government statutory bodies could inform, educate and empower citizens through information technology advancement.
He said government commercial entities needed to move with time in order to improve their services to Fijians.