• Residents buy sachet water to bathe, cook

From Judex Okoro, Calabar


Calabar residents now resort to sachet water for bathing and cooking, following acute shortage of drinking water.

For over three months, Cross River State Water Board has not pumped water to customers, making life uncomfortable for consumers in the metropolis.

Dailu Sun gathered that, even before the current scarcity, water pumped to houses and business premises were not treated.

Major streets affected include Ekpo Abasi, Mayne Avenue, Inyamg, Yellow Duke, Ette Agbor, Satellite Town, Ediba, 8 Miles, Calabar South, Federal Housing, Aka-Ifa, State Housing, Marian and 8 Miles.

As alternative, consumers now patronise sachet water dealers and boreholes, leading to increase in demand of sachet water in the metropolis.

One resident, Mrs Eme Offiong of Enymaba Street, Calabar South, said for over one year, the Water Board has not supplied water to home, and confirmed that they now resort to buying bags of sachet water.

“We are in hell around Old Calabar of Nkwa, Enyamba and Anderson Streets as we have not tasted potable water from the Water Board for over one year. Before now, we used to have uninterrupted supply.

“For my family to survive, we buy at least seven bags of sachet water a day, to cook and bathe. Each bag costs N150 just as the Mai ruwa who supply a barrow of water containing 10 gallons of 10 litres each at N500.”

Another resident, Mr. Richard Okon of Ekpo Abasi axis, added: “We have not had water from Cross River State Water Board Limited for months running and they are still bringing bills for us to pay.

“I buy at least four bags of sachet water everyday, to bathe while I buy six bags , at weekends for cooking.
“I can tell you that this scarcity of water has made life unbearable for Calabar residents and I am even thinking of going back to my village where we have stream.”

In his reaction, Managing Director of Cross River State Water Board Limited, Prof. Godwin Igile, said: “Yes, it is true there is no water in Calabar metropolis.

“This is because we are carrying out repairs of our facilities. Besides, they have vandalised and stolen our equipment, making it difficult for us to operate at optimum capacity.

“For a very long time now, we have not done maintenance, so, we decided to carry it out and we don’t know when it will be completed so, we don’t know when we will start pumping water for residents.

“I took over in December 2015 and we had water all through last year. I plead with consumers to bear with us while we are trying to give them potable water.”

http://sunnewsonline.com/water-scarcity-hits-calabar/

Pictures oh

I trust my people dem go inflate sachet water to #50.

Nobody get borehole for the streets?

hmmm.... whats BEN doing in dat state sef ??

ijoba

I no want this kind rough play o
See me wey wan go serve for Cross River

₦19,800 go finish for water be that naa.

which one be water scarcity again
let ppl that have boleholes pump water joor

abi na only water board is licenced to pump water in the city

It's not a new thing. But do people still rely on government water? Only thing the populace really depend on the government for are the refined products of crude oil and that's because we can't refine it ourselves. Nigerian govt is as useful to the Nigerian people as unripe plantain is to a lion.

Wahala

don't they have boreholes at their homes?

There has always been water scarcity in every Nigerian state

thats what you get when you depend on government for your survival...

In this global world

But na so e been done dey dey calabar people no like to do borehole for their compound so them never see something

Nothing wey person no go he hear for this Con3

Islie:


• Residents buy sachet water to bathe, cook


http://sunnewsonline.com/water-scarcity-hits-calabar/

“For a very long time now, we have not done maintenance, so, we decided to carry it out and we don’t know when it will be completed so, we don’t know when we will start pumping water for residents.

Is it my eyes Am I the only one reading this

What will it take to fix this mess saying that you don't know when the people will have access to water again to me it's nothing but FAILURE

If it is in a civilized world, the government will be impeached by now!

What nonsense

cross river lacking water. Then what river are they crossing.

Ayé lè íko sí o

Do water boards still exist ?


Don't they have borehole in their houses

water scarcity for rainy season, three months no water from water board.. them do wuna for village ne?

This is what you get for relying on government to do that which there are supposed to do.

alienvirus:
Nobody get borehole for the streets?

I wonder oo

Calabar as a city depends solely on water from the Water Board. This is quite unlike some other parts of Nigeria especially Lagos and environs where boreholes and wells are normal sights.

The comments of the Director isn't alright. What measures were put in place to mitigate the scarcity that was certain to ensue before they embarked on the repair project?

SalamRushdie:
There has always been water scarcity in every Nigerian state

Maybe where u live not where I know

What?

Evergreen4:
Do water boards still exist ?

In Calabar, yes. I served in Calabar in 2014 and the Water Board was effective then. Only a few people had boreholes then because there was little need for it.

dead