Residents and corporate bodies in Bauchi State are owing the State Water and Sewage Corporation (BSWSC) over one billion Naira of unsettled water bills.

Aminu Gital, the Managing Director of the BSWSC, disclosed this at a meeting between the management of the corporation and some civil society organisations (CSOs) in Bauchi on Wednesday.

He told the CSOs that the corporation registered over 22,000 water consumers in the state, but only 1,020 of them settled their monthly bills regularly.

“Water rate in the state is one of the lowest in the country because we charge N500 for high density areas, N750 for housing estates and N1000 for residents of the GRA, but despite this gesture, water consumers remain reluctant to settle this meagre bills,” he lamented.

He said that the huge debt was hindering the corporation from fulfilling its mandate of providing potable drinking water to the 20 Local Government Areas of the state.

Mr Gital outlined other challenges facing the corporation to include huge maintenance cost associated with payment of NEPA bills, fueling of generating plants and purchase of chemicals.

He expressed willingness to collaborate with the CSOs in sensitising customers on the need to settle water bills.

“We are ready to partner the CSOs in our efforts to sensitise the public on the need to settle their bills in view of the fact that supply of potable drinking water has the potential to reduce the cost of treatment of water borne diseases,” Mr Gital said.

Earlier, Coordinator of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Project (USAID supported project), Soni Elisha, had listed areas of support from the CSOs to include water source monitoring, water treatment monitoring and water quality measurement from source to end point, among others.

News Agency of Nigeria reports that at the end of the meeting, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the management of BSWSC and Network of Society for Water and Sanitaion (NEWSAN), an umbrella body of CSOs working on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Bauchi.

(NAN)

He expressed willingness to collaborate with the CSOs in sensitising customers on the need to settle water bills.

BigbamoAYO:
nawa ooo

“Capital Cost" takes care of infrastructures like treatment plant, reservoirs, pipes, vehicles and other things while the "Operating Cost"  involves the cost of treatment chemicals and additives like alum, soda ash, chlorine, chlorine powder, electricity, salaries and other miscellaneous expenses.

PrimadonnaO:
That run-down state! How did they manage to accumulate such debt?

It's like a village farmer owing someone 1billion naira. Preposterous!


*Modified*

It's an internal debt. The residents are mostly poor, though. That's why they can't pay 500 naira for water.

PrimadonnaO:
That run-down state! How did they manage to accumulate such debt?

It's like a village farmer owing someone 1billion naira. Preposterous!


*Modified*

It's an internal debt. The residents are mostly poor, though. That's why they can't pay 500 naira for water.

PrimadonnaO:
That run-down state! How did they manage to accumulate such debt?

It's like a village farmer owing someone 1billion naira. Preposterous!


*Modified*

It's an internal debt. The residents are mostly poor, though. That's why they can't pay 500 naira for water.

excomarow:
And some people will expect CHANGE from Buhari when them, themselves are corrupt.

How do you expect the system to work.

Always Pay Your Bills

CHANGE begins with ME

He said that the huge debt was hindering the corporation from fulfilling its mandate of providing potable drinking water to the 20 Local Government Areas of the state.

PrimadonnaO:
That run-down state! How did they manage to accumulate such debt?

It's like a village farmer owing someone 1billion naira. Preposterous!


*Modified*

It's an internal debt. The residents are mostly poor, though. That's why they can't pay 500 naira for water.

Blue3k2:
Some people have weird mentality. They want government to provide all sorts of services but want to pay for anything. It's ridiculous to that state let these guys keep drawing water without paying. If you dont pay bills you dont want service it's that simple.

Water utilities are usually profitable for city or state that provides it since people need it. Hopefully they expand grow IGR this way.

PrimadonnaO:
That run-down state! How did they manage to accumulate such debt?

It's like a village farmer owing someone 1billion naira. Preposterous!


*Modified*

It's an internal debt. The residents are mostly poor, though. That's why they can't pay 500 naira for water.

Mklancee:

we are better of the way we were before you guys came with your useless change

ultravires:
so supply of pipe born water is available in that part of the country. That's wonderful.

Btw, If you are a Tiler or site engineer or perhaps you deal in sales of tiles, you can pm me for supply of Quality Tile gum direct from our company @factory price. Thanks

elmessi:

Sorry ma but how did you come to the conclusion that Bauchi is a "run-down" state? Hope it's not just on assumption?