Lagos State agencies in charge of Quality, Standard and Regulation in the state have sealed off the premises of CWAY Nigeria Drinking Water Science and Technology Company Limited and Figol Water in various locations in state in its determination to ensure compliance with the State Groundwater Quality Control Regulation and the State Drinking Water Quality Standard.
Executive Secretary, Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission (LSWRC), Arc. Ahmed Kabiru Abdullahi, who led the team on the compliance and enforcement exercise, also visited Nigerian Breweries Limited, La Casera, Cascade Waters, 7up, Coca cola and Guinness Nig. Plc. and said CWAY Limited, was sealed for non-declaration of all its facilities and non-compliance as stipulated in the regulatory guidelines of the Lagos State Water Sector Law (LSWSL) 2004.
Ahmed opined that “this move is in line with the vision of the state government to curb the occurrence and spread of water borne diseases in the state, as well as, improve the standard of living and promote safety culture at all times. The State Government is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that all stakeholders in the water sector comply with the guidelines and regulations for water abstraction/consumption as stipulated by the law.”
He stated further that “the administration of His Excellency, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, being a very responsive and responsible government, would no longer fold its hands and watch the pollution of the groundwater through indiscriminate abstraction and illegal borehole drilling that is polluting the groundwater on a daily basis.”
He revealed that the 1st and 2nd aquifers of underground water are the worst hit and that the state government is taking adequate steps to ensure the preservation and conservation of all the aquifers of underground water to ensure safety of lives, provision of portable water that is of good quality and a water sector that is sustainable and viable.
Ahmed said that a sustainability plan by the state government would soon be launched by His Excellency, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode and it will involve corporate private sector participation.
While acknowledging the challenges associated with the supply of water to residents of the State, Ahmed said the intention of government is to ensure a well regulated water sector devoid of abuse by all stakeholders, adding that this will ensure the attractiveness of the sector to participation by the private sector.
He stressed that by the year 2020, the present 33% water provision would rise to 100% when the sector is expected to be fully compliant with the regulations.
He reminded all borehole operators to regularize and get permits for drilling boreholes for water abstraction and that all water service providers and borehole drillers should obtain requisite licenses for their operations, adding that the government is set to implement the provisions of the Lagos State Water Sector Law (LSWSL) 2004 to the letter.
