…..task force to disconnect illegal connections
….. urges residents to approach Water Board for proper registration
…Commissioner appeals to residents to pay rates
Gombe State Commissioner for Water, Environment and Forest Resources Mohammed Fawu, has provided reasons for shortage of water supply in the metropolis, in spite of government N150 million monthly expenses in ensuring clean and safe water for public consumption.
According to him, illegal connections to the main water line from Dadinkowa Treatment Plant to reservoir have reduced distribution to neighbourhoods.
Fawu disclosed this in a press briefing on Friday, at the ministry, where he decried the activities of vandals.
He noted that some residents had colluded with Gombe Water Board staff to connect illegally to farms, block industries and mostly homes
The Commissioner said, “I know residents are complaining that they don’t get enough water in their houses and there is reason to that and there is need to engage you to know the challenges that we are facing. Water supplied into your residence, clean drinking water comes from Dadinkowa Treatment Plant. It’s important to note that it’s not just pumped from the dam it has to be treated and it costs the government more than N150 million monthly just to treat the water and ensure that the water is clean excluding electricity cost. The N150 million is just for treatment of the water.”
Fawu noted that the distance between the plant to the reservoir requires it to be transported, adding it increases it cost “The distance from treatment plant to reservoir is almost 60 km and it’s unfortunate that the plant is at a lower elevation than the reservoir. So we need electricity to pump after treating but it’s unfortunate that the water is not coming as it should the pressure is not enough because of alot of illegal connections on the main line this comes from Dadinkowa due to this, all our reservoirs don’t get full capacity hence, our inability to supply water to different neighbourhoods in Gombe this act can’t be tolerated anymore. Some have connected water to their farms, some to their block industries, some sell, and to homes enough is enough,” he added.
While decrying the activities of vandals the Commissioner noted that his ministry alongside the task force ensure culprits are punished, he added, “Moving forward, the ministry in conjunction with Gombe State Water Board will commence disconnection of the illegal connections. If you need water for any use their is a proper channel to take. You are supposed to approach Gombe State Water Board where account will be opened for you and water provided to you legally we can’t continue to spend money monthly and the result is not attained.
On how vandals have disrupted their plans of ensuring improved distribution Fawu added, “We came up with timetable to distribute across neighbourhoods, but we couldn’t because we don’t get the appropriate quantity in the reservoir to distribute. From tomorrow task force will disconnect those who illegally connected. We know the connection is not done a lone, it’s in collaboration with board staff, they will be apprehended and prosecuted.”
Also speaking, General Manager Gombe State Water Board Engineer Abubakar Sadiq, called for maximum cooperation, urging residents to register with his office for proper identification in order to pay apportioned rates.
He added, “I can say that the water in Gombe State is almost free because the tariff system is not much; for someone with overhead tank it’s N1,500 charge and the person with reservoir is N3,000 monthly but yet people don’t want to pay and how do you want a system government is sinking millions of naira can be sustained. The tariff system is subject of review.”
