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Tag: Water shortage

  • Tackling acute water shortage in the FCT

    Tackling acute water shortage in the FCT

    Tauheed Amusan is the General Manager of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Water Board. In this chat with Assistant Editor JIDE BABALOLA, he sheds more light on the achievements recorded by the Board and the challenges that it encounters in carrying its responsibility of providing water for the residents

    Stakeholders in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have expressed concerns about the inadequate water supply in the city. This, they say, should be one of the priorities of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

     In a sprawling city such as Abuja, where modernity meets culture and governance intertwines with development, the provision of essential services becomes important. One such service is the supply of potable water.

     Tauheed Amusan is the General Manager of the FCT Water Board. The FCT Water Board has the responsibility of delivering potable water to the capital and its satellite towns.

     In a chat with our correspondent, Tauheed Amusan sheds light on the significant milestones achieved and the challenges that persist in the water supply sector.

     He said: “When I assumed office as the General Manager of the FCT Water Board, we had several major leakages which we have addressed.” He revealed his team’s dedication to plug the leaks that have been draining not just the water reserves, but also the Board’s revenue.

     Continuing, he said: “We recorded monthly revenue above N300 million for the first time in the history of any Water Board in Nigeria.”

     However, a flourishing revenue sheet doesn’t tell the full story. The inner workings of water supply are far more intricate than numbers on a balance sheet. “Our facilities are burdened,” Amusan added.

     Explaining the critical infrastructural gaps that plague the system, Amusan noted that “an installed capacity of 30,000 cubic metres in the Lower Usuma Dam which operates at a mere 47 per cent efficiency is akin to pouring a drop of water in an ocean.

     Admitting that the Board is working under challenging situations, Amusan said: “The FCT Engineering team is resilient so much so that it has managed to stay afloat despite the challenges the Board faces. Another challenge the Board is experiencing is that the major pipes that convey water from the treatment plants to the city are inadequate. The newest pipes laid to take water to Abuja City were carried out in 2000. Since then, no new or additional major pipes have been laid,” regretting that the population of the city has continued to increase considerably.

     He also stated that since the pipes were laid in 2000, the contract for the next major trunk of pipes that should have been laid was awarded in 2006. Since then, that contract is yet to be completed. So, you can imagine the circumstances under which we operate.

     With Amusan’s explanations, it seems that the FCT’s water challenges are like a complex puzzle.

    Read Also: FCT arrests 400 persons, impounds 50 vehicles in Abuja over illegal trading 

    While the major pipes that bring water from the treatment plants to the city remain inadequate, subsequent projects have stagnated, leaving a rapidly growing city with dry taps.

    This inadequacy isn’t restricted to the city; it is replicated in the satellite towns where the FCT Water Board struggles to keep up with rising water demand.

    In the circumstances, therefore, rationing water supply to the city and its environs, he said, becomes necessary; a measure to alleviate the pain of water scarcity among residents. Thus, for most parts of the city, water flows in an irregular manner.

     Even though some of the water supply challenges are not a result of a lack of infrastructure, lack of cooperation on the part of customers is another problem we face.

     “There are those who bypass our meters, those who do illegal connections… and those who fail to pay their water bills as at when due,” Amusan said. It’s taxing. Most times the Board resorts to warnings, negotiations and, in some cases, disconnections.

     “With the government agencies, you need to have a dialogue with them,” he explains, highlighting the delicate balance between accountability and diplomacy.

    “As a matter of last resort, the homes of some highly-placed Nigerians as well as recalcitrant federal parastatals get their water pipes disconnected from time to time,” he said.

     The Board has plans to end open defecation within the next two years. However, this ambition seems to miscarry. The situation, Amusan said, is saddening, because there is a link between water supply and sanitation.

     He said: “It is only the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 on water and sanitation that affects all other SDG goals. Water affects job creation, poverty alleviation and the environment. Water affects everything. Water is life!”

     Again, there is the issue of insufficient budget allocation. The amount of money requested to run the Board is not commensurate with the amount of money released to it.

    Amusan noted that there are other competing priorities which the government has to meet; he advised that there is the need to vote for substantial funds for the water sector.

     He stresses the urgency for significant investment in infrastructure, echoing the sentiment that short-term solutions, especially the usual resort to sinking boreholes, won’t suffice in a world moving towards sustainability.

     His words: “The budget I met for 2022 is N9.5 billion. In 2023, we have N8.6 billion and in 2021, the board received N6 billion as budget. Every water agency will make an effort to increase budgets towards meeting necessary investments in infrastructure.

     “I think we need more political will from the Federal Government, the sub-nationals, including the FCT, to invest more in water supply. The investment in water supply today is very low; at the rate we are going, we are not likely to meet the SDG 6 goal.

     “So, we need much more investment in infrastructure and in operation and maintenance of our water infrastructure. That is the only way out. We cannot continue running quick fixes; we are used to drilling boreholes all over the place but those are only short-term measures. For me, it is primitive to be drilling boreholes indiscriminately.”

     Amusan’s vision for the FCT Water Board is unequivocal. With a steadfast commitment to overcome challenges, his aspiration is clear is that “we can do much more and do better.”

  • Why there was water shortage, by corporation

    The Lagos Water Corporation (LWC) yesterday said the disruption of supply in some parts of the metropolis was not connected with the adoption of the Public Private Partnership (PPP).

    Reaction to the claim of the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service, Technical and Recreational Service Employees (AUPCTRE) that the discuption was deliberate and caused by PPP adoption, LWC Group Managing Director/CEO Muminu Badmus, said supply was cut following election problem at the Independent Power Plant (IPP) in Akute.

    The problem, he added affected production and supply from the major water works of Adiyan and Iju.

    With the reconnection to the national grid, the affected communities in Bariga, Lawanson, Ketu, Ojodu, Agboyi, Mile 12, among others, he said, were now getting water as part of the corporation commitment to customers’ satisfaction.

    Badmus said arrangements were on to power the major waterworks to produce to capacity.

    The corporation, he said,  had completed the rehabilitation of 48 mini-waterworks in the state optimal capacity. “And they now jointly produce 87 Million Gallons Per Day (MGD) to complement the major waterworks of Adiyan, 70MGD; Iju, 45MGD Ishasi, 4MGD; and Otta Ikosi, 4MGD; arriving at a total of 210 MGD,” Badmus said.

    The corporation, he said, had initiated projects to tackle water shortageadding: “These projects include the ongoing construction of Adiyan Phase II of 70 MGD, development of the Igbonla Water Scheme Phase 1 of 100MGD, expected to serve Victoria Island down to Epe corridor.

    “Other proposed schemes include Adiyan Phase III of 70MGD, with 6,295 km network, Ibese Phase I Water Treatment Plant of 50 MGD and the Yewa/Ishasi Water Scheme to produce 85MGD.

    “A proposed integrated water supply in Ikorodu and its peri-urbans will be executed to supply 35MGD. This project comprises upgrading Otta-Ikosi from 4MGD to 31MGD and the rehabilitation of Oke-Ota-Ona Water Plant of 3 MGD, and Lagos Road Mini Waterworks of 2 MGD. This integrated water supply project also includes the construction of seven booster stations that will enhance production and supply of water to the communities in the axis.”

    Badmus said the corporation was not planning to retrench and assured the public of potable water supply.

     

  • Ikoyi, VI, others to face water shortage

    Some parts of Lagos may be without water as the State Water Corporation (LSWC) embarks on a four-days repair of its major pipes, its Groups Managing Director (GMD) Muminu Badmus, said yesterday.

    The repair, which started on Saturday on pipes on Carter Bridge-Iddo axis, would end on Wednesday, Badmus said.

    He said: “The water leakage at Carter Bridge is 600mm diameter pipe between Oyingbo and Iddo Motorway would be affected. This will lead to disruption in water supply to major parts of Lagos metropolis.

    “The parts of Lagos that will experience disruption in water supply during the repair are: Lagos Island, Victoria Island, Ikoyi, Surulere, Yaba and Ebute Metta.

    “We are soliciting for the cooperation of the general public during the repair as we are working to ensure steady water supply in the state and to serve you better,” he said.

    Badmus said the corporation embarked on the repair before the closure of the Third Mainland Bridge for repair to avert traffic gridlock.

    “The repairs on the pipes are necessary at this period to ease traffic movement in the area before the closure of the Third mainland Bridge on July 27,” he said.

  • Lagos govt tackles water shortage

    The Lagos State government has said it is solving erratic power supply, which hinders production and supply of water across the state.

    A statement by the Head Corporate Communication of the state’s Water Corporation, Akinmuleya Oluwaferanmi, said the state had developed a Water Supply Master Plan (2010–2020) as a roadmap to tackling the challenge of water production and supply.

    The statement said: “The Lagos State government is taking a realistic approach to close water demand gap in the state by carrying out rehabilitation and expansion projects in different parts of the state. This involves the replacement of old pipes and extension of water mains, thereby increasing water supply in different parts of Lagos, especially in Surulere, Itire, Yaba/Ebute-Metta, Iwaya and Victoria Island, among others.”

  • Lagos develops master plan to tackle water shortage

    Lagos develops master plan to tackle water shortage

    Lagos State government is taking drastic steps to solve the problem of water shortage in the state. A statement signed by the Head of Corporate Communication, Lagos Water Corporation, Akinmuleya Oluwaferanmi, revealed that the state has developed the Lagos Water Supply Master Plan (2010 – 2020) as a roadmap to tackle the challenge of water production and supply.

    According to him, Lagos, a resilient state and the commercial hub of Africa, with the population of over 22 million people, is pressured by the situation and the government under Governor Akinwunmi Ambode is continuously putting in place various strategies to tackle the challenge of water scarcity anywhere in the state even before it arises.

    These, he said, include the development of the Igbonla Water Scheme Phase 1 expected to serve Epe, Eti-Osa, Ikoyi, Ibeju Lekki, Victoria Island and Lagos Island. The second phase of this project is also projected to produce 110 MGD, with a distribution network of 500km. “Considering these efforts put in place by the state, water shortage in Lagos State is well on its way out,” he concluded.

     

  • Ganduje vows to tackle water shortage

    Ganduje vows to tackle water shortage

    Kano state Government has  expressed  its commitment to overcome the lingering shortage of water bedeviling the people of the metropolitan areas of the state.

    The state commissioner of Water Resources, Alhaji Usman Sule Riruwai made the  disclosure  during an inspection visit to Tamburawa Water Treatment Plant, adding that  the state government has concluded all arrangement to partner with foreign agencies to turn around the entire water works in the state.

    He explained that the government has rolled out a five year plan for the development of the water sector of the state adding that very soon a water Law will be enacted in the state which will pave way for the transformation of water supply in the state.

    The commissioner who was represented by the permanent secretary of the ministry, Hajiya Bilkisu Waziri expressed delight over the capacity at which the treatment plant is working saying that it is encouraging the way management of the plant are handling the machines.

    She commended the company that is supplying the treatment plant with aluminium sulphate Drury Industries which according to her keeps the plant working at a high capacity adding that Ganduje administration in the state will not relent on its effort to providing portable drinking water in the state.

  • Yaba residents lament power outage, water shortage

    Residents of Casino Community in Yaba area of Lagos state have lamented power outage and lack of access to clean water.
    They called on Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to come to their aid, noting that they haven’t had light since their transformer exploded last year.
    A resident, who identified himself as Haruna said: “Since the transformer exploded last year, our light has not been stable and I spend over N1500 on fuel daily.”
    Mrs Aishat Issaolu said despite the fact that they hardly have light; the power distribution company would bring outrageous bills to the community.
    According to Mrs Yetunde Oluwatoyin, they travel miles to get water from public wells, while others, who could afford to buy do so.
    She said: “We travel miles to fetch water from public wells. The water is not clean and can only be used for washing and bathing. Some people fetch water from the bore hole of neighbouring churches, while others buy. We usually buy 25 liter for N200 but it has increased to N400. The Abokis get the water from boreholes, which are far from where we live.”

  • UNILAG students protest ‘water shortage’

    UNILAG students protest ‘water shortage’

    Occupants of Biobaku Hall in the University of Lagos (UNILAG) have protested what they call “lack of water and partial closure of toilets” in the hostel.

    The students said they were unhappy with poor water service in the hostel and the stress of fetching water from far distance.

    The students took to the street with placards and singing solidarity songs. They demanded immediate repair of facilities in the hall.

    The students complained that water had stopped running for a long time, saying the development made over 500 occupants to go through stress of fetching water from three water taps outside the building.

    An occupant, Seyi Olabisi, a 400-Level Urban and Regional Planning student, said: “We stay in queue for several minutes every morning to fecth water to have our bath. That is abnormal.”

    Modiu Olaguro, President of the University’s Press Club, expressed displeasure on the situation, describing it as stress to both the students and the cleaners who would have to carry buckets of water from the ground floor to the third floor daily.

    The protesters planned to take the demonstration to the residence of the Dean of Students’ Affairs, Prof Kayode Amund, but some of them opposed the plan.

    Razaq Olamilekan, President of the Education Students’ Association (NUESA), was quoted to have said that as a student leader, he could not lead a protest against the school authorities.

    The students carried placards with inscriptions such as “#BringBackOurWater” and “Students are suffering, DSA is snoring”, among others.

    The angry students were addressed by an official, who identified himself as Engr Adeyemi from the Department of Works. He pleaded with the students, explaining that the delay in restoring water back to the hostel was because of a logistic problem.

    In response to the to the protest, management has commenced repair work on the water facility and the construction of new water pipes to serve all floors in the hostel.

    At the time of this report, two water taps were being repaired and plumbers were seen running pipes to different floors.

    Speaking on the protest, the Hall Chairman, Moyosore Adebanjo, said the beauty of the protest was that it was peaceful, saying management’s quick intervention was commendable.