Water: What Lagos is doing to ensure quality

Water supply in Lagos State, just like many other urban centres across the country, has been a subject of concern in the recent time, partly due to the quality of water in circulation either by Water Corporation or private operators.

Observers are questioning the processes through which sachet water, popularly known as “pure water” and table water is  being produced. Is NAFDAC involved in the production process of all factories in the state? Is government equally involved especially, in the area of regulation of private water supply operators, particularly, bore hole and tanker operators? These and many are questions being asked.

In the face of this agitation, Lagos State government has said it is working to ensure total compliance on laws guiding water production and supply in the state by setting in motion necessary measures to ensure that the product meets best international practices.

Not only is water from government water works being subjected to regulation, but also water from every service provider including water vendors, borehole operators and others; all are now under the searchlight of the body saddled with regulatory responsibility, the Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission (LSWRC).

Highlighting efforts to ensure that provision of quality water across the metropolis, including the suburb, is not compromised, the Commission’s Executive Secretary, Ahmed Kabiru Abdulahi, an Architect, recently told Nigerian Tribune that the reform on ground include the enforcement of quality of ground water supply, by ensuring that water service providers are complying with the approved drinking water quality standard.

According to Abdulahi, the commission is in the process of licensing all water service providers, irrespective of nature of their activities.

“For example, borehole operators, water vendors that supply water through tankers and all the rest must be licensed, why the ‘mairuwas’ will automatically be out of business, because our target is to make water available to all and sundry.

“To buttress my point, the Lagos State government, through the Commission, on Friday, October 28, 2016, prosecuted some illegal water service providers as part of our effort at intensifying compliance and sanitising the water sector,” he said.

According to him, water service providers were prosecuted after their arrest by the Compliance Monitoring Enforcement Team which was led by the Executive Secretary of the Commission, himself, for non-compliance with the Lagos State Ground water Quality Control Regulations and the Lagos State Drinking Water Quality Standard as stipulated by the Lagos State Water Sector Law (LSWSL) 2004.

He stated that the presiding Magistrate, sentenced the offenders to three months imprisonment with option of fine of N150,000 each. The offenders were to be released upon the payment of fines while the company premises will remain sealed until presentation of evidence of satisfactory compliance with the provisions of the regulations of the commission within a stipulated period.

Abdulahi promised that compliance monitoring will be intensified and more of such arrest and prosecution would be carried out by the Commission to serve as a warning and deterrent to other service providers who may want to compromise the safety of residents who depend on them for clean and safe water.

He listed those prosecuted to include: Motkleen Premium Table Water of 17, Kemi Salami Street Obadore Street Lasu-Isheri Expressway: Sanco Waters, of 6th Avenue, 13 Rd, Plot 926 Festac Town and Lodgers Waters of Block 6, Plot 12, Garden J Extension, Satellite Town Lagos.

The Executive Secretary also stressed that henceforth, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s government policy on zero tolerance to non compliance with the existing Water Sector Law will no longer be tolerated, warning that any water service provider found wanting will be made to face the full wrath of the law.

He further advised all the stake holders (big and small) in the water sector to ensure that they comply fully with regulatory provisions of the law as stipulated by the Lagos State Water Sector Law (LSWSL) 2004, because part of the commission’s goal is to make sure that water borne diseases that accounted for over 50 percent of patients in many hospitals are completely eradicated.

Though, critics have been complaining about the quality of water being supply across the state, be it from Lagos Water Corporation, Table and Sachet water producers, tanker water operators, Mairuwas, among others, urging government to ensure full compliance of the provisions guiding water supply in the state..

Part of responsibilities of Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission that analysts want to be fully carried out are: Pursuant to sector 52 of Lagos Water sector Law, No. 14 of 2004 the main function of the Commission is to regulate the production, distribution, supply and use of water, quality of service and charges payable to ensure viability of the sector and regulate allowable returns.

These and other functions of the Commission (interspersed throughout the Lagos water sector Law, 2004) and have been summarized as follows: Regulate: Water distribution (water quality, efficiency, sustainability); Water distribution (reduce waste and non- revenue water due to theft and promote access); Water supply (access to basic lifetime supplies regardless of location); Water use (demand management for conservation and allocation for consumptive and non-consumptive uses).

The commission must also ensure  quality of service (reliability, water quality, pressure, response to consumer complaints, dispute resolution and so on;); Tariff (address issues on affordability, cost recovery return on investment , sector financial stability subsidies, pro-poor, rural dwellers, other vulnerable consumers-aged, women, children), including facilitating value for money, consumer orientation, technical and environment standards, performance standards, service standards

“The Commission is also to investigate and/or issue ruling on submission on sector issues from stakeholders, and promote financial integrity of the sector through such ruling and facilitate performance of PPP projects (including development of template contracts) and protect consumer interest including non-discrimination, and lifetime access.

“The commission is also saddled with the responsibility of advising the Governor on sector reform and on licensing all sector operators, both public and private, although the governor may grant order of exemption.

“These and many others are the responsibilities of the commission that commentators seek their enforcement to guarantee quality, affordable and sufficient water supply to all residents”, said Abdulahi.