A University Lecturer, Prof. Ezekiel Gaya Best, has warned that rampant digging of boreholes, especially in heavily populated areas, may trigger earth movements that could cause earth tremors in such environments.
The University Don gave the warning while delivering a lecture at the 2024 World Water Day, with the theme ‘Water for Peace’, sponsored by the Society for the Transfer of Approximate Sustainable Technology and Expertise (TASTE) in collaboration with the Society for Water Sanitation and Hygiene (NEWSAN), sponsored by Tearfund and supported by WorldServe at Eliel Event Center, Gold and Base in Jos.
He stressed the need for the government to provide centralized means of providing and reticulating potable water supply to the populace and warned that a greater water crisis lies ahead if the government fails to take into account the expanding population of greater Jos.
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“We are building up crises, it might not be now, when these places are fully developed, you will discover that the water problem will manifest clearly. The new settlements that are coming up will certainly need water. It is when these places are fully developed that you will see a full-blown water crisis.”
On the fear that borehole drilling, rather than solving the water problem, may create earth movement, Best declared, “This is very true judging from what took place recently in Abuja. We have some cases where there was what looked like tremors underground.
“Now what is a borehole? It is like you are basically boring a hole underground that will create a vacuum where water will gather and sink out into a tank.
“Now look at a well-laid-out settlement, there is a borehole in this house, a borehole in the next house, and boreholes everywhere. This is not by any design, but every owner of the house decided to have a borehole in his own house. The accumulation of all of these will definitely have a long-term effect.”
Professor Best said the best way out is to have water in a central place and the reticulation network should be such that each house is connected to have a regular supply of water in a sustainable manner, adding that this is what is obtainable in advanced countries.
A panel of discussants at the event noted that the Water Laws have huge lacunae and the House needs to sit to review the Law and inject the new developments into the Law.
They also frowned at the total lack of the Legislative arm at the Local Government Councils in the 17 LGAs to make by-laws for Water supply and improvement of services.
Earlier, in his goodwill message, the TIC Chairman of Jos North Local Government Council, Hon. Samuel Dala Umaru, thanked the organizers of the event, especially TEARfund for its contribution to the provision of water in most parts of the state.
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