The intention of government in establishing, State Water Corporation, as it is popularly known even to most people till now, is to process and make available to her citizens and residents portable water.
But, regrettably, that objective is yet to be accomplished, well over thirty five years of the establishment of the Imo State Water & Sewerage Corporation.
What could be responsible, for the agency’s failure to achieve this objective, you may want to ask?
Based on facts we got in the process of Opinion Survey, we conducted on the Imo Water Corporation’s inability to process and supply to the people, portable waters, inadequate funding on the part of the government of Imo State; is a major holdback on the wheel of the agency, as it moves towards the objective and mandate for her establishment. Another reason is corruption, the corruption we are talking about here is majorly at work in the parent ministry of the water corporation, Ministry of Public Utilities.
Our findings indicate that most times, when money is released for the corporation, a chunk of it never get to them for the execution of the proposal for which the money is meant.
There are other handful of reasons, why the corporation is yet to hit her target, portable water for all in Imo State. Meanwhile in an effort to meet the water need of the people, individual landlords have embarked on indiscriminate drilling of boreholes, as alternate means to meet the water need of the people. But, unfortunately our survey findings clearly shows that there are health challenge issues associated with this indiscriminate sinking of boreholes.
I have had the privilege to attend seminars cum workshops, organized by local and international agencies on the way forward with regard to processing and distribution of pure water. By pure water here, we mean quality water, good for human consumption.
For anyone to sink a borehole, in an ideal situation, there are rules and regulations that must be followed for water gotten from there to qualify to be called portable water. Let me at this juncture highlight some of the rules being violated by Private Owners of boreholes.
Borehole is not supposed to be located less than 10 meters away from Septic tank. But regrettably over 80 percent of boreholes currently in use in the State of Imo, do not meet this specified regulation. Some others are sited on the edge of the gutter.
I am not surprised that water borne disease are prevalent in the state. In some cases, new born babies come with different afflictions most of which are traceable to impure water consumed by their mothers before they are born. It can be seen from this angle clearly, that a lots of negative health challenges awaits us, except we do a U-turn and move in the right direction.
Another frightening danger associated with indiscriminate sinking of boreholes is the fact that it is capable of causing landslide in future, if proper steps are not urgently taken, by the Imo Water & Sewerage Corporation whose regulatory function it’s to ensure sanity in the Imo State water sector.
Outside processing and distributing portable water to the people of Imo State, it is the State Water & Sewerage Corporation’s responsibility to regulate the water sector in the state.
The Imo Water & Sewerage Corporation, would have been ranking in hundreds of millions as Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) if it had been alive to her regulatory duty.
Going by responses in our opinion survey that cut across three major categories, the high-net-worth individuals, the middle class and the (Talakawas) the ordinary man or woman on the street.
The three groups above likened the Imo Water Agency, to the re-branded NEPA EEDC, whose service is highly sort for by people, who are also ready to pay their bills, but regrettably they are unable to provide their much needed services and earn the money.
The people of Imo are willing and ready to pay for the services of Imo Water & Sewerage Corporation. And I can say with certainty that the corporation will generate hundreds of millions as IGR monthly from loyal customers.
Imo population is estimated at well over five (5) million people, all of who need portable water for their daily living.
But due to the failure, of the Imo Water & Sewerage Corporation to meet their water need many have resolved to drilling borehole in their individual houses, as a means of accessing portable water, most times without adherence to approved standard.
For the purpose of emphasis let me quote some professionals on the issue of standard. Professor T. R. Ajayi a Geologist, with Obafemi Awolowo University Ile Ife, has this to say “If a borehole is too close to a soak away tank there must be a linkage. He noted, that there must be a minimum distance of 10 meters away from Septic tank. He also insist that materials used for the borehole must be top notch.
Ajayi further added that every individual desiring to sink a borehole should consult officials of the relevant state ministry or a Geologist for professional advice on the nature of the environment, before siting borehole”. In their own contributions, John Owo, C.E.O. Cooha Water Technologist Ltd, National Agency for Food Drugs Administration NAFDAC, Standard required 10 meters that is 33 feet’s away from Septic tank. The Civil Engineers concord to NAFDAC Standards.
For Eretayo, a Medical Practitioner in Lagos “Borehole water contains microbes, that can cause ill health. It may also contain chemicals such as calcium, magnesium and so on. These elements are not bad in themselves, but when consumed in large amount can predispose to stone formation”.
Need I, further explain why the Imo Water & Sewerage Corporation should get started and so the needful?.
History, the unseen participant in every event, is watching and taken records of our actions and inactions.
