Then detailed engineering plans are presented for roads, intersections, drains, water reticulation, sewerage reticulation and treatment.
These are all built to city standards, particularly to road width specifications. The roads are not sealed but graveled to a high standard. In time, when the city expands and absorbs the model town, the roads can then be sealed, and footpaths added.
Grey water from the shower, kitchen sink and wash tub is piped to a grease-trap near the kitchen and then to a perforated pipe under-ground, in the garden. An abundance of food is produced here, even in drought times.
Sewerage is piped via a reticulation system and man-holes to a series of large septic tanks. The sewage settles and is digested there and the effluent flows via an array of filters to a chamber.
The effluent flows via a distribution box to underground perforated pipes surrounded by gravel for infiltration. Crops such as bananas and egg-plant are super-productive here and the transpiration from the plants reduces the volume reaching the water table.
All civil works have been built by the town residents who are now multi-skilled.
We do not allow burning and encourage composting and recycling to help which preserve soil fertility and control pollution.
The Model Town philosophy is enshrined in the poem ;
Every square metre, of the Land at Koroipita
hosts a house, a tree, or homes for honey-bees.
There is room for moths, and wasps and tiny beetles too
The soil is safe here for it feeds us, so we feed it too.
The project team provides training for the residents on how to dispose rubbish in the bins provided throughout the community and also work with the Lautoka City Council to train residents on recycling and composting green waste.
As a result we have seen huge reduction in garbage disposed at the landfill and increased organic gardening activities throughout the community through the use of compost bins.
The Green Scouts act as a litter patrol and help collect recyclables from households and teach new families about managing waste.
Fire prevention is achieved by surveys of hazards, particular in kitchens and training for the residents, often involving the National Fire Authority. Even the kindergarten children are trained in fire prevention and suppression.
Fire suppression is achieved successfully with fire-fighting equipment including a series of fire hose reel stations at 150-meter intervals on the roads and fire extinguishers mounted in accessible housings on the outside of houses with one unit for every seven houses.
The communal facilities are an excellent resource for the residents and service providers. The community hall hosts town meetings, training programmers, a second kindy and has an office and conference room. This has been the most resourceful asset for the community.
The Experimental Cottage Industry Facility will provide small business operators a clean and safe environment to establish their businesses. This will have five units and a shared office/ kitchen area. The residents operating business in the ECIF will pay rent to the Community Council and will receive guidance from the project team so that one day they are able to move their business operation to the city.
The Health clinic greatly helps reduce waiting time at the hospital in the city. It is particularly helpful to residents who have physical and mental disability and mothers who have difficulty accessing health care services.
Regular clinics, training programmes and screening ensures all children are fully immunized and residents with serious illness receive best early intervention.
We also have a computer school with internet access and library for students to do research and complete their assignment. We also run short courses on basic and advanced Microsoft Office skills to improve the children’s IT competency and add to their employability..