TEARS of joy streamed down her face as she recalled the struggles she encountered over the past three years living without proper water supply.
Daya Wati, 53, of Nanuku Settlement in Vatuwaqa was one of the successful applicants to have her water arrears amounting to about $1000 waived by the Water Authority of Fiji (WAF).
And she had all the reasons to smile when approached for an interview in her small corrugated iron home yesterday.
Life was tough for her and her 16-year-old bedridden son. Their meter was disconnected by the authority three years ago.
"Before, it was hard to look for water because I could not leave my son at home," Ms Wati.
"I had to ask for water from my neighbour and my brother next door," she added.
Ms Wait who earns an income of $5 a day from selling sweets in her home said most of the time they had to go without water.
WAF corporate communications team leader, Fulori Turaga said yesterday "was history making in itself for Ms Wati and her child".
She said in Ms Wati's case illegal connections from her neighbours to her own meter contributed largely to her arrears.
"Given her social status and conditions, she was not able to repair all the works of leakages, thus the accumulation of her arrears," she said.
About 100,000 Fijians benefitted from the government's decision to waive water bill arrears amounting to $14million.