Water Rationing Hits Parts Of Abuja
Residents of Abuja City Centre and several satellite towns are experiencing rationed water supply that will last for two weeks due to ongoing rehabilitation works at two major water treatment plants.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, attributed the disruptions to the temporary shutdown of Phases 1 and 2 of the four water treatment plants serving the FCT.
In a statement on Sunday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, Wike explained that the rehabilitation, which is being handled by Messrs SCC Nigeria Limited, involves replacing and reinstalling the electro-mechanical components of the affected plants, which have been operating below installed capacity.
“The FCT Water Board operates four water treatment plants of 30,000m³/hour, divided into Phases 1, 2, 3, and 4. The inefficiency of the plants necessitated a comprehensive rehabilitation contract, which is now at an advanced stage,” the minister said.
Due to the interconnected nature of the facilities, Phases 1 and 2 had to be completely shut down to allow for the installation of new equipment.
However, Wike noted that Phases 3 and 4 remain operational, although their combined output is insufficient to meet the water demand across the city and surrounding areas.
Emphasising that this is a partial and not total shutdown of potable water supply, the minister assured residents that contractors are working round the clock to complete the project ahead of schedule.
Wike said the two shut-down plants would be temporarily reactivated to boost supply during the festive period, especially during the upcoming Sallah celebrations.
“Consequently, in order to minimize the adverse effects on FCT residents, the Water Board has prepared a timetable for rationing by alternating between Lines 1 and 2 of the distribution network,” he added.
He urged residents to store sufficient water for daily needs and appealed for patience and cooperation.
“The goal of this temporary inconvenience is to ensure long-term improvement in water supply and service delivery,” the minister said.
The rehabilitation works are expected to be completed within two weeks, the minister said.
Water Rationing Hits Parts Of Abuja is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
