NEED FOR COLLABORATION WITH FCT WATER BOARD

 

The FCT Water Board is saddled with the responsibility of providing potable water to the inhabitants of the FCT at an affordable rate. Not just potable but clean water and we have been able to live up to expectation.
The design of the water supply for the FCT is based on master plan, and it  is made in such a way that water is to be supplied for about three million residents. The Infrastructure was designed ab initio for this number of people. But the population of Abuja is approximately six million today.

With the Greater Abuja water works, today

 we have bigger diameter water pipes passing through districts. Before now we were limited in terms of infrastructure, meaning the pipes that were taking water to those districts were smaller and thus carrying smaller volume of water.

By the time this project is completed the conveyance of water, and access, will be improved. The low pressure will also be a thing of the past. Some of the challenges we face however include aging infrastructure, some provided close to four decades ago. In fact some of the parts for the treatment plant are no longer available, but we try to ensure proper maintenance.

Hence members of the public should ensure that they protect these pipes, which are their own. On a daily basis

we have pipes burst but staff are on the field to ensure maintenance is carried out.

Collaboration is key. FCT residents should see water infrastructure as their own, so minor issues, if left unattended to would be injurious to our infrastructure.

Once you see a fault anywhere it is your responsibility to quickly inform the authorities and not fold our arms. The board is also doing a lot to ensure illegal connections are discouraged because they constitute a nuisance to successful operation.
Two, is the need for cooperation between the public and water board staff in terms of payment of bills. Some customers, when water board staff visit them to present bills, become confrontational, that is not good. If there is any complaint they shouldn’t hesitate to take it up to the office for the issues to be addressed promptly.

This is an appeal to residents to ensure they don’t allow any illegality. The water in the FCT is one of the best, even across Africa; foreigners that come into FCT commend the quality of the water.

This is all possible because of the support of the FCT Administration led by the Minister Nyesom Wike who, when he first came, visited the Lower Usuma Dam treatment plant Bwari in order to have first hand information and gave directives aimed at providing the best service for inhabitants.

A visit around Abuja will show you that pipes are currently being laid with a view to ensuring greater access to water. By the time the project is completed more residents will be served.

 Daniel Salka Audu,  Ag.General Manager, FCT Water Board