22nd March, 2012
The Lagos State government has decried the proliferation of boreholes in Lagos, southwest Nigeria, saying such pollutes underground water.
Group Managing Director, Lagos Water Corporation, Shayo Holloway, who spoke at the preparation for next week’s World Water Day lamented that majority of boreholes in the state were shallow and not subjected to technical and engineering specifications.
According to him, Lagosians should desist from indiscriminate digging of boreholes and hook up to the corporation’s water mains in their domain.
“Water from this aquifer is too prone to pollution with the attendant health hazards like typhoid, gastroenteritis, diarrhoea and other related water-borne diseases.
“Besides, proliferation of boreholes has adverse environmental impact over medium/long term period with salt water intrusion from the ocean and land subsidence. Boreholes/wells are becoming sources of pollution of the ground water, thereby causing its rapid depletion,” he stated.
Holloway urged Lagosians to check the “Stop-cock valve” (usually within the premises) on the service line whenever there was shortage of water as this might have been tampered with.
“Instead of reverting to service of water tankers, we urge you to contact the water corporation near to your areas for quick intervention.
He stated that the recent rehabilitation exercise in Otto, Lagos Mainland was the cause of scarcity of water in Ebute Metta and Apapa Road axis, adding that such exercise normally causes brief interruption in water supply.
Holloway added that Fashola had said that the main reason his administration embarked on the construction of water works and rehabilitation of existing ones was to ensure that pipe-borne water was available to all homes and industries in Lagos.
—Kazeem Ugbodaga