Water
By Ahmed Mohammad
Kano, The Kano State Government has unveiled a major intervention to address the prevailing water scarcity in the state, with the purchase of ten high-capacity water pumps.
Imported from South Korea,the new pumps which are aimed at revamping the state’s water supply system, were officially presented to journalists by the State Commissioner for Water Resources, Umar Haruna Doguwa,on Saturday.
During the presentation ceremony at the Tamburawa Water Treatment Plant, Doguwa emphasized the critical water shortage in Kano, which he said prompted Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to take a decisive action.
“The governor, being an engineer himself, personally assessed all water treatment plants in the state and identified faulty raw water pumps as the primary issue. To resolve this, he procured ten new pumps, which we are unveiling today,” he said.
He said six pumps each of 110 kilowatts capacity, would be installed at the Challawa Water Treatment Plant, which previously supplied 50 per cent of Kano’s water needs “before being shut down and vandalized recently.”
The commissioner also said that four pumps,of 160 kilowatts capacity each would be installed at the Tamburawa Water Treatment Plant, and which would restore water supply to Nasarawa and surrounding areas.
According to him, the previous neglect of the water sector had left Kano residents struggling to access potable water, with no significant government intervention in the past 14 years.
He disclosed that the pumps cost over N1 billion, excluding installation and associated expenses.
Doguwa said that the state’s investment in water infrastructure had drawn national attention, with states, including Lagos, expressing surprise at the governor’s dedication to resolving the crisis.
He warned industries, commercial centres and individuals abusing treated water, particularly those diverting it for farming activities to desist from such,or face the wrath of government.
“People are yearning for drinking water, yet some individuals illegally channel treated water to their farms. We are investigating those responsible, and if necessary, we will seize lands found engaging in such practices,” he said.
He also lamented the issue of water theft, where people siphon water from hydrants meant for emergency use, warning that surveillance efforts were underway, and that anyone caught in the act would be penalized
The commissioner urged all industries and commercial establishments in the state to settle their water bills promptly, stressing that the era of free access to government water is over.
He then disclosed that the government had embarked on a project to restore pipe-borne water to Dambatta town, which had been without public water supply for nine years.
Doguwa assured residents of the town that significant progress had already been made, and that their water supply would soon be restored.
“We are not rushing this project; we want to do quality work that will stand the test of time. With the governor’s mandate, we will ensure every town in Kano gets adequate water supply,” he added.
