Severe Water Crisis Affects Residents in FCT

The ongoing water crisis in various communities throughout the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is compelling a large number of residents to look for other sources of water.

An investigation by our correspondent indicates that the most affected areas include parts of Maitama, Asokoro, and Wuse 2 in the city core, as well as Apo.

Communities situated along the Abuja Airport Road, such as Gwagwalada, Jiwa, and Gwagwa, are also experiencing severe shortages.

The Durumi, Karmo, and Wumba districts in the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) are affected, with the crisis persisting for approximately a month.

This ongoing situation has been linked to diminishing water levels in the Usuma Dam located in Bwari Area Council, where the FCT Water Board manages water treatment and distribution.

A resident of Karmo, Abdullahi Muhammad, noted that his children have to leave home early in the morning to search for water and often return after long periods. He emphasized that this situation is adversely impacting their education, as they consistently arrive late to school due to time spent walking to and from water collection points.

Nuel John, a resident of Durumi, lamented that the water shortage has compelled many to depend on commercial water vendors, whose prices have surged significantly. Daily Trust has reported that several parts of Gwarinpa and Lugbe are also grappling with water scarcity, with the entire Lugbe community lacking access to potable water from the FCT water board.

In the Life Camp area of Abuja, the decline in water supply has driven many residents to dig private boreholes to meet their daily needs. Our correspondent observed that certain regions of the district, which includes the official residence of the FCT Minister, often endure three to four days without running water.

Resident Engr. Stephen John shared that he was compelled to drill a borehole within his home due to the worsening water situation each year. "I had to dig a borehole this year since we sometimes go two to three days without tap water. I understand the supply network is overstretched, but city managers need to address this issue seriously.”

Another local, Madam Nima’at Ajisafe, echoed similar sentiments, revealing her family started relying on a borehole last year due to continual water shortages. She stated, "Last year’s water problem forced my husband to dig a borehole, and we have depended on it since then."

Residents are appealing to the FCT authorities and the Water Board to resolve the distribution issues plaguing the city, particularly highlighting that a high-profile area like Life Camp should not struggle with access to essential utilities.

In August of last year, the FCT Minister Nyesom Wike launched a major water project in Bwari aimed at providing potable water to Bwari town, Ushafa, and nearby communities. The project, worth N90 billion, covers 198 kilometers and involves laying extensive piping along with boosting the Usuma Dam facility.

The initiative seeks to reduce residents' reliance on private boreholes. Daily Trust reports that as part of the Greater Abuja Water Supply scheme, the project will install pipes of various diameters, ranging from 60mm to 600mm, along with essential infrastructure like valves and chambers, with completion expected next year.

Since the project commenced, Bwari residents have expressed optimism that it will finally help alleviate their long-standing water scarcity.

Mr. Mathew Aina, living in the Old Viva area, praised the federal government for this intervention and pointed out the irony of Bwari residents lacking potable water despite being home to the Usuma Water Treatment Plant, which supplies the central Abuja area.

While the project is welcomed, some residents have raised concerns about its execution. Mrs. Hauwa Abdullahi urged contractors to use high-quality materials, particularly voicing her worries about the pipe sizes utilized in her neighborhood. "The pipes here appear smaller compared to those in other areas," she commented. "We hope this won't affect the water volume supplied to our area once the project is completed."

According to sources from both the FCT Water Board and the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), it has been confirmed that the Water Board has not cleared outstanding electricity bills that led to previous disconnections. For months, the board depended on alternative power supplies, resulting in halted production until they were reconnected to the national grid on January 17.

At the time, the AEDC stated that this reconnection would only last for two weeks, warning of another disconnection if the debts remained unsettled. Checks indicate that the debts have yet to be paid despite the AEDC not re- disconnecting power to the treatment plant as of now. Attempts to reach the General Manager of the FCT Water Board have so far been unsuccessful as he was reported not to be in the office during our correspondent's visit and did not respond to phone inquiries.

A senior board officer, who wished to remain anonymous, acknowledged the water crisis in several areas and stated that the board is working toward a resolution. He added that the board is not directly responsible for water shortages in villages lacking pipeline networks.

Reports indicate that the Usuma Dam's water levels are reducing. An anonymous source within the agency indicated that inconsistent raw water supply from the Gurara Dam in neighboring Kaduna State, which was meant to supplement the Usuma supply, is exacerbating the issue. Raw water is usually released from the Gurara to the Usuma Dam for three to four-week periods when levels decrease.

Once the dam is filled, the supply ceases until the raw water is processed. However, the delays in transferring water back to the Usuma Dam lead to a notable water crisis in the FCT.

Accessible treated water often faces delays in filling reservoir tanks across the FCT, leading to low water pressure or complete shortages in communities. An expert has suggested dredging the Usuma Dam, noting that it is filling with sand and silt deposits due to human activities along the feeder rivers. Dredging could enable the dam to hold greater water volumes during rainy seasons and collect more from the Gurara during dry spells.

Concerns are rising among residents regarding a significant area of the Usuma Dam buffer zone allegedly converted for private farming. This farm is located between Usuma Dam and Ushafa Junction along the Dutse-Bwari Expressway. Our correspondent gathered that it houses a greenhouse, a hotel, and a resort, reportedly connected directly to the pipeline that supplies raw water from Usuma to the treatment plant. Such connections have been labeled a serious violation of existing regulations.

Residents consider this situation to be a severe administrative breach, insisting that the dam's buffer zone should remain a protected area to prevent soil erosion and safeguard the water source from contamination. It is noteworthy that in 2021, the FCT Administration marked several structures in the buffer zone for demolition due to regulatory breaches, impacting areas like Pmagbe, Shafatu, Unguwar Tiv, and the SCC Layout in the Ushafa district.

In several territories, acute water shortages have led communities to struggle alongside animals for access to water from hand-dug ponds. The Tugbudu community in the Gurdi ward of Abaji Area Council finds itself in a distressing scenario, with the only river they rely on having completely dried up.

Residents have been forced to dig into different parts of the riverbed to access available water, with women expressing their frustration about the worsening situation. Observations from Daily Trust indicate that communities in Bwari Area Council also wrestle with similar challenges, having to manually excavate ponds for water collection.

John Madaki, a resident of Gaba, one of the severely affected communities, reported that villagers often contend with livestock for access to pond water. "We have no option but to rely on such ponds for drinking water, although some people boil it first, while others drink it once the sediment settles."