21st June, 2016
Some of the residents disclosed on Tuesday that the situation had affected socio-economic activities in their areas.
According to them, the situation has forced many residents to resort to using water from other sources, and which is unsafe for human consumption.
A resident at Magwan area, Malam Garba Alkali, expressed dismay over the water scarcity, saying it added to the suffering of the common man.
“In areas that are lucky to have the water, you will find out that it is unclean and brownish when it comes out of the taps,” he said.
Alkali said that following the scarcity, water vendors had increased their prices, as a 25 litre jerry can which had cost N20 now sells for between N25 and N30.
“I used to buy about 12 jerry cans daily at the cost of N200 but it has now increased to between N300 and N350; besides, the water is not safe for consumption,” he said.
Another resident, Malam Idris Babale, also decried the situation, saying some residents with low income had resorted to using well water.
Another female resident, Hajiya Hasiya Manager, said that she felt more comfortable using rain water and well water, rather than the one supplied by vendors.
When contacted, the General Manager of the state Water Board, Mr Auwalu Galadanchi attributed the water scarcity in the some parts of the metropolis to power outage.
“We are always on generator and on daily basis we are using 33,000 litres of diesel to power the generators.
“Moreover, the price of diesel is daily on the increase so we cannot cope with the situation; that is the reason behind the scarcity,” he said.
On the brownish water, the General Manager called on residents to always forward complaints to the board in order to rectify the problem.
He said that broken water pipes were responsible for the problem.
“If people complain, we have a mobile laboratory whereby our men will go and take sample with a view to solving the problem,’’ he said.