As Nigerians join the rest of the world to commemorate this year’s world water Day, the need for adequate safe water supply for both rural and urban dwellers was greatly emphasised on.
Speaking at a ‘Leadership Event for Stakeholders in the Water Industry’ organised by the CWAY, Dr. Roland Uwadiae, a marine Scientist, Department of Marine Sciences University of Lagos, said that Nigeria should strive to overcome water scarcity which constitutes a threat to water security.He said that Nigeria is blessed with plenty of good water sources.
“It has about 215 cubic kilometers of available surface water per year and plenty of water stored in the ground. However unfortunately, Nigeria has little access to clean drinking water from its plentiful sources.”
The world water Day which was instituted by the United Nations [UN] in 1992 and first celebrated in 1993 is commemorated annually on March 22 to raise awareness and inspire action to tackle the global water crises affecting 2.2 billion people living without access to safe water and sanitation.
The theme for this year’s world water Day is “Accelerating the change to solve the water and sanitation crises.”
According to the World Health Organisation [WHO], 1.4 million people die annually and 74 million will have their lives shortened by diseases related to poor water, sanitation and hygiene. A report by the United Nations International Children’s Fund [UNICEF], shows that over 86 per cent of Nigerians lack access to safe water.
Roland Uwadiae, the Associate Professor noted that Nigeria has economic water scarcity when compared with other countries.
He regretted that Nigeria has water but lacks infrastructure to distribute the water to citizens in dire need of it. “Securing resources means finding the additional water resources needed to meet demand and respect the balance,” he said.
He said to achieve these, it must rely on human engineering and the ability to constantly innovate and come up with new solutions.
“This begins with technical solutions. In the future, we need to drill for water more deeply, transport it over longer distances, store it for longer and purify it more efficiently.
“We will develop new, cheaper and more advanced solutions, as the wider use of desalination and wastewater reuse. Technological innovation enables us to speed up the progress of new, smarter, more efficient, environment friendly, sustainable, and fairer solutions,” he said.
Uwadiae noted that globally, water security has become an integral part of every country’s national security and foreign policy.
“The right to water, so easily proclaimed yet so difficult to enforce, will be the common trend running through collective action and policy on water security. We must build to ensure that every drop of water is useful for basic needs,” he said.
According to him, water is not one Sustainable Development Goal among 17 others, saying it is the most precious element that enables the future of the planet.He said that the World Water Day recommendation of universal right to water and access to water for all should be given a higher political priority. Uwadiae said that financing water, better knowledge and shared governance were keys to implement water priority.He added that urban and rural planning should include water security solutions as a prerequisite for any type of project.
According to him, electricity and water resources should both be approached as renewable resources.
He said that due to careless domestic, industrial and agricultural uses of water; resources in rivers, boreholes, water tables, dams and reservoirs were under pressure and rapidly being depleted.
To address this, Uwadiae stressed that water recycling and reuse should enter the country’s legal portfolio.
Similarly, Mr Deji Johnson, Chief Operating Officer, Lagos Water Corporation, said availability of water was directly proportional to increasing population.
Johnson noted that the demand for water in Lagos was 650 million gallons of daily, “the state can only produce 210 million gallons of water daily for its citizens.’’
He said that production at the two main waterworks, and mini waterworks in various parts of the state was hampered by infrastructure challenges.
Johnson who represented the MD of the State water corporation, Engr. Adekunle Muminu Badmus added that the state government had partnered different stakeholders to improve investment in infrastructure and technologies that would enhance access to clean and safe water.
Also, delivering the good will, the Permanent Secretary, Office of Drainage Services and Water Resources, Engr. Shodeinde Nurudeen said that this year’s theme of ‘accelerating change’ emphasis the need to speed up efforts towards achieving sustainable water management practices.
“Water is a vital resource for life on earth and its importance cannot be overemphasised. However, despite its critical role in sustaining life, access to safe and clean water remains a significant challenge worldwide,” said Engr. James Oyedele, the representative of the Permanent Secretary.
He said to accelerate change and secure progress on water, sanitation and hygiene, “the state government in collaboration with the private sector were working together to promote sustainable water management practices.”
Expatiating, Oyedele said “this includes investment in infrastructure and technologies that improve access to clean water, reducing water waste while promoting water conservation and efficiency.”
Also, Mr Abiodun Suleiman, Sales Director, CWAY Group, said that the company organised the event as part of its commitment to promote sustainable clean water and conservation.
Suleiman said the firm, through its various corporate social responsibility initiatives, had provided access to safe water to communities that lack access to water.
“Since we began operations in Nigeria over two decades ago, we have made significant contributions toward providing clean drinking water to millions of Nigerians.
“We have also organised several water conservation campaigns aimed at educating the public on the need to use water responsibly.”
Suleiman said the company remains committed to ensuring that Nigerians have access to clean and safe water. Also as part of activities to mark the day, journalists were taken on a tour of the CWAY plant, located at Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, Isolo, Lagos.
The Production Manager, Mr. Philips Maliki took journalists right from the beginning of the production line to the last stage which is the packaging, bagging machine to the warehouse.
