3m to benefit from 70MGD Adiyan II

Some 3 million residents are expected to benefit from the 70 million gallons per day Adiyan water works (phase II), to be completed in 2018. The construction work, according to Muminu Badmus, group managing director of the Lagos State Water Corporation (LSWC), has reached an advanced stage.
Water production and supply have remained a huge challenge in Lagos, despite billions of naira annual budgetary expenditure by successive administrations. Over 80 percent of the state’s estimated population of 21 million people still rely mostly on boreholes, which are sunk in residences and business premises, even as the LSWC is seen in deficit of technical expertise and funds to change the narrative.
The water corporation recently advertised an expression of interest for the development of the Adiyan water works and other schemes through a Public-Private Partnership, and shortlisted four firms: AG Gold Trust Nigeria Limited, Vision Scape Water Solutions Limited/Metito, Veolia/Shoreline Group and Abegoa and Naston & Partners. The state hopes to leverage on this PPP, when finally sealed, to boost the production and supply of water, from 2018.
According to Badmus, the 3 million residents to benefit from the Adiyan scheme, when completed, are those living in the western axis of the state, even as he reiterated the corporation’s commitment to deliver potable water to all households, “in consonance with the implementation of the Lagos Water Supply Master Plan.”
The imposition of charges on boreholes by the state government recently drew the ire of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), which said it tantamount to “punishing businesses for government’s failure”.
Frank Jacobs, president of MAN, who led members of council on a visit to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, argued that the resort to boreholes was a consequence of the inadequacy of public water supply, and businesses couldn’t be penalised for providing water for themselves.
“Companies are forced to provide their own water because of the inadequacy of public water supply. Asking companies to pay for this would appear that we are being penalised for making up for the inadequacy of government to provide this vital utility. We are requesting that the law should be reviewed in a way that companies wishing to sink boreholes should pay a moderate permit while companies whose lines of business involve sale of water or water based products should pay a moderate one-off licensing fee,” said Frank.
Governor Ambode had acknowledged the difficulty associated with making water available to all parts of the state, but noted that his administration in the last two years had strived to create an atmosphere favourable to businesses.
Ambode said the state requires about 720 million gallons of water per day, but currently has capacity to produce 210 million leaving a shortfall of about 500 million gallons.
 

JOSHUA BASSEY