An environmentalist and Special Adviser to the Governor on Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA), Hon. Okereke Godson Bishop, has condemned the increase and indiscriminate drilling of boreholes in Imo State. He told journalists in Owerri on Tuesday that it was time government puts in place necessary legislation that would regulate the use of underground water in Imo State.
The Environmental expert said “any resource that is not monitored or controlled, but left in the hands of the citizens portends danger, as it will be subject to abuse. If our underground water is being exploited and there is no legislation to regulate its use, then surely it will be subject to abuse and in the case of water, it may lead to pollution and other environmental hazard”.
Okereke pointed out that “some river passages in the state that could have been of economic benefits to our society in the aspect of tourism, environmental beautification, among others, have all dried up as a result of proliferation of boreholes”. He maintained that “it is the responsibilities of the agency to provide the necessary laws through the Imo State House of Assembly, then RUWASSA will provide guidelines and license to those interested in drilling boreholes in the state for compliance”.
Also, he remarked that it is a “gradual process to enact laws and knowing that water is life. You cannot just stop anyone in the absence of laws or regulations”. He urged Imo citizens, especially wealthy ones to desist from sinking individual boreholes, but encourages them to sink community boreholes so that many households can connect water free of charge rather than each house sinking its own borehole.
“Our appeal is to those drilling boreholes to come together and drill a central borehole for either their community or estate. This will reduce cost and preserve our underground water from future degeneration, Okereke stressed. He expressed bitterness towards the fact that the rise in borehole drilling in Imo State has caused a lot of negative effects (pollution) on the environment and the damage on the surroundings is on the increase considering depletion of the ozone layer, stating that the water from the underground is unsafe for human use or consumption as some boreholes are exposed to pollutants and pathogens which lead to water borne diseases like typhoid, guinea – worm, diarrhea, among other hazards.
The SA RUWASSA observed that continuous digging of boreholes from the aquifers causes vertical and literal intrusion of the surrounding salt water, giving that the water level declines due to constant pumping of water and can eventually cause earthquakes in some parts of the state, if not controlled and this has negative cumulative effects on the environment. The former NANS leader posited that the money spent on constructing individual boreholes can be used to build a reliable source of water from surface water, which is always safe and environmentally friendly.
The Ngor-Okpala APC stalwart therefore urged the incoming State House of Assembly Members to leverage from this information and prevent degradation of the environment by formulating laws and policies that can regulate the drilling of boreholes in specific environments in the state.
