WAF launches environmental and social management system

The Water Authority of Fiji (WAF) has introduced a new framework designed to enhance the planning and execution of major infrastructure projects. The Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS) is intended to proactively identify potential risks and ensure that environmental and social considerations are integrated from the initial planning stages through to construction.

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The whole framework from point A to Z needs to be good. Not only from feasibility, technical, planning, risk management, financing, and all that. It needs to come together as one effective structure as we move forward, which is currently not, and it is an ongoing challenge.

Public Works Minister Ro Filipe Tuisawau highlighted that the framework will be instrumental in tackling persistent challenges in project planning, implementation, and monitoring. He emphasized that achieving infrastructure ambitions requires robust planning, effective coordination, and diligent risk management. "The whole framework from point A to Z needs to be good. Not only from feasibility, technical, planning, risk management, financing, and all that. It needs to come together as one effective structure as we move forward, which is currently not, and it is an ongoing challenge," he stated.

Azuza Sato, Regional Director for the Pacific at the Asian Development Bank, noted that the ESMS will bolster governance and improve project outcomes. "This means stronger governance and accountability, early identification of risks to reduce delays and costs, improved coordination across departments and with contractors, and ultimately better outcomes for communities, the environment and the economy," Sato explained.

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This means stronger governance and accountability, early identification of risks to reduce delays and costs, improved coordination across departments and with contractors, and ultimately better outcomes for communities, the environment and the economy.

Seru Soderberg, Chief Executive of WAF, explained that the ESMS was developed based on lessons learned from past projects. "We have limited resources and we only have a specific amount of time that we are given to deliver infrastructure and it is absolutely crucial that the four areas in front of you, the government, contractors and investors are brought online and communicating at the early stages of any major project that is undertaken," Soderberg said. The system will be applied across all WAF operations, encompassing project planning, design, construction, and long-term asset management.

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We have limited resources and we only have a specific amount of time that we are given to deliver infrastructure and it is absolutely crucial that the four areas in front of you, the government, contractors and investors are brought online and communicating at the early stages of any major project that is undertaken.