₦airaland Forum

Residents of Enugu metropolis in Enugu State have decried the high cost of drinking water in parts of the city as Christmas festivities approach.

Investigations by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday showed that efforts by the state government to provide potable drinking water are yet to yield the desired results.

NAN reports that many water galleries the government built in parts of the city have remained dry. A truck carrying a 500-gallon tank of water that used to sell for N10,000 and N12,000 now goes for N13,000 and N15,000, depending on the area. A 750- gallon tank of water sells for between N16,000 and N18,000.

Also, in some parts of the city, a 25-litre gallon of drinking water sells for N300, while well water used for cooking is sold for between N50 and N70. Speaking to NAN, a water tanker driver, Eugene Nwangene, attributed the development to a combination of factors, including the high cost of transport and increased revenues.

A resident of Abakpa Nike, Steve Osuji, said he was surprised that water scarcity persisted in Enugu City. “Government has promised to provide water to Enugu residents within 180 days of commencement of its administration, yet we are faced with scarcity,” he said.

Mercy Okeke, a resident of the Akwuke area of Awkunanaw, said the water situation in the area was the same as it had always been.

“We buy water as usual. For example, a 25-litre drinking water bottle costs N300, while well water costs N50 or N60, while some sell for N70. “As the dry season is setting in, many wells are already drying up, and as usual, we are resorting to buying from water tankers,” Ms Okeke said.

Ms Okeke appealed to the state government to do something to end the perennial water scarcity facing the people. It is also similar to Independence Layout, Transekulu, Emene and Achara Layout, as many residents have resorted to commercial water tankers to get water.

Chigozie Ude, who lives in Independence Layout, said she spent N40,000 on a full tanker of 2,000 gallons every two weeks. She said that this has made life difficult for her and her household.

“I spend N80,000 every month on water alone as against N60,000 I spend during the dry season because I use my well during the rainy season. “It is difficult to dig a borehole in Enugu because of the topography as the soil is covered with coal, which is not healthy. So, I am appealing to the state government to intensify efforts in providing water for the people of the state,” he said.

We’re doing our best

Mbah Meanwhile, Governor Peter Mbah has assured the people that his administration is doing everything possible to bring water to the residents’ doorsteps. Mr Mbah gave the assurance during his quarterly town hall meeting with Enugu State residents held over the weekend.

He said the government had signed a partnership agreement with Watson Nestor Company, which had injected $100 million to help modernise the water scheme project.

The governor disclosed that while the company handles technical areas, the state government will handle water production. He said the company would replace the old pipes, bring water to the residents’ doorsteps, and provide meters.

Governor Mbah explained that the payment of water rate would be 20 per cent less than what residents were spending on buying water.

It is difficult to dig a borehole in Enugu because of the topography as the soil is covered with coal, which is not healthy

TimeManager:
These are trucks coming from neighbouring states yet charging exorbitant prices for water. Average Nigerians will take advantage of any situation or crisis to enrich themselves. Certain situations demand a human face. How long will Enugu endure this water crisis?


-Kiss the truth!

jmoore:
Because they are using water to power the trucks.

Babablu bulabu.


Let the governor do his job!!!

softtorce:
I tot all the foolish ipob lunatics insulting Lagos have regular water supply in any of their Igbo state ? All this foolish lunatics self...

WeddingParol:
Enugu water issue is becoming an eyesore.

Every time I hear people making irrational excuses for government claiming the coal, rocks, yen! yen!! yen!!! are the reasons Enugu don't have good and steady water, I get very annoyed. Even the water from the tankers are so dirty and expensive.

Even 9thmile with good water source don't have a functioning government water supply.

TimeManager:
And turn coal to water

-Kiss the truth!

Bede2u:
water is also a problem in Nevada. In Qatar, the government converts sea water into drinking water. SE is not connected to the sea. The only way out is for Enugu to dig for ground water (which is the current ineffective method) or to look for a way to convert a river into drinking water or partner with a state that is close to a large water body.

jmoore:
Some of you make ridiculous posts and add emoji to it.

1. I said the governor should do his job and you are saying he will turn coal to water. Are the private people supplying water turning coal to water?

2. There are Ekulu, Asata, Ogbete, Aria, Idaw and Nyaba rivers in Enugu state. Water can be sourced from these rivers and be treated in a water treatment facility before distribution to homes. Second option is to pump water from River Niger from Anambra to Enugu water treatment plants.

3. Boreholes can still be drilled in terrains like Enugu where coal poses a challenge. But it's expensive. Government has the money.


Embrace education and stop shouting 'kiss the truth' and the end of your ridiculous comments.

WeddingParol:
Thank you my brother.

As much as I know that Enugu problem is not upto that, people still drill boreholes with good water in Nike, Abakpa (Barack area), Amorji, Orji, Valleyview, even in some parts of Trans-Ekulu.

9th-mile has one of the purest water springs in Nigeria, that's why you have the likes of Nigerian brewery, Coca-Cola, 7Up etc locate their plants there.

The issue is that, the government is not serious in addressing the water issue, we have places with terrible situations even in Nigeria and they were able to work around it.

RevDesm0ndJuju:
Zik moved the capital of Eastern Nigeria from Calabar , a coastal city to Enugu all out of tribal sentiments.

Before there was Abuja, Enugu was fulfilling that role with all the resources from the region concentrated in developing an inhabitable Enugu.

Instead of developing Calabar to rival Lagos, tribal sentiments saw Zik move the capital in 1960 to Enugu from Calabar. If not Calabar why not PH? And after doing this , Zik went to Lagos to be dragging it with Yorubas.

It's really appalling that such a large city as Enugu can not fix the water problem.

What's stopping successive governments from piping water from Orji river or 9th mile and using the surrounding hills as gravity pumps to households? For where! Instead a cartel of water tanker operators were left to operate and this same cartel are composed of very powerful people connected to governments that will not let the government to invest in a very simple centralised water supply system. Just imagine the revenue that the state government can generate from simple water works.

WeddingParol:
Enugu water issue is becoming an eyesore.

Every time I hear people making irrational excuses for government claiming the coal, rocks, yen! yen!! yen!!! are the reasons Enugu don't have good and steady water, I get very annoyed. Even the water from the tankers are so dirty and expensive.

Even 9thmile with good water source don't have a functioning government water supply.

jmoore:
Some of you make ridiculous posts and add emoji to it.

1. I said the governor should do his job and you are saying he will turn coal to water. Are the private people supplying water turning coal to water?

2. There are Ekulu, Asata, Ogbete, Aria, Idaw and Nyaba rivers in Enugu state. Water can be sourced from these rivers and be treated in a water treatment facility before distribution to homes. Second option is to pump water from River Niger from Anambra to Enugu water treatment plants.

3. Boreholes can still be drilled in terrains like Enugu where coal poses a challenge. But it's expensive. Government has the money.


Embrace education and stop shouting 'kiss the truth' at the end of your ridiculous comments.

kedeojo:
All the governors don't want to spend money but they forgot that when you construct dams and lay pipe to every part of the state, you can fix a price. Water board in all state used to function, until lazy governors couldn't managed them but instead prefer to sink boreholes and the most annoying part, is when a governor will travel far from the government house in the state capital to commission boreholes. Am even surprised you mentioned some area with rivers in the state and over the years, past governors and this current one could not profer solution.

RevDesm0ndJuju:
Enugu city Water tanker cartel are very powerful and connected.

They won't sit down and see an end to their hustle.

I wonder why the successive governors can't solve this issue . Every core northern stare does not take water supply issue lightly and invest heavily in it to the point that water supply is subsidised because their governors know the fallout of water scarcity .

The problem in Enugu is pure exploitation with a public that can be exploited for financial gain.