Kano Water Shortage: We will require N160bn to fix two treatment plants – State govt

The Kano State Government said it will require over $10 million, an equivalent of N160 billion, to fix two vandalised Challawa Water Treatment Plants in the state.

While inspecting the vandalised water supply equipment, the Commissioner for Water Resources, Haruna Doguwa, on Tuesday, said the government is taking serious steps towards arresting the acute water shortage situation in the state through renovation and expansion of the facilities on ground.

He lamented that at the Chalawa Water Works, millions of naira worth of items were stolen away and pipes that supply the water through five kilometres were also stolen.

However, he explained that not less than $10 million will be required to reactivate the Chalawa water works, as some of the stolen machinery can only be produced on demand because they are not sold in the market.

The commissioner also mentioned that Kano metropolis needs 700 cubic litres of water daily but is now receiving only 300 cubic litres, which causes an acute shortage.

“This facility here has been dilapidated and most of the machinery was stolen under the immediate past administration. In fact, there were some individuals who claimed that the waterworks were sold to them.”

“There is a 15-kilometre underground pipe that supplies water to the water works that they dug out and stole. We cannot trace where the pipes are at the moment”, he added.

“Other items stolen from the Chalawa water works include raw water pumps, electrical facilities, electrical starters of control rooms and underground pipes.

“This place was established in 1930 by the colonial government and has been supplying water to Kano metropolis up to 2016 before it was vandalized under the immediate past administration,” he stated.

Giving more details to newsmen, the Managing Director, Kano State Water Board, Egnr Garba Ahmed, stated that the Chalawa Water Works is called the first water works and its construction started in 1927 and was completed in 1930.

“The plant has a capacity of 20 mld per day. At that time, the water produced from this plant was adequate for Kano, and there was no complaint of a lack of water then.

“It is due to the growth in population that additional water works are constructed here in Kano. This facility has been working up to the year 2016, it has never failed. It was providing adequate water to Kano.

“As of 2002, this plant was providing water to Dorayi, Kabuga, Kofar Fanfo, Jan Bulo, Bakin Bulo, Rijiyar Zaki, Bayero University New site and the Janguza Army Barracks.

“With the stoppage of work in this place, all the mentioned places are not getting water, and nothing can be done, unless this plant is rehabilitated.

“When we came in 2023, it was very unfortunate as all the machinery with its accompanying accessories were carted away, including the armoured cables, during the immediate past administration. They were stolen and probably stolen.

“A sad thing to note here is that the transmission line, the raw water transmission line, conveying half of the intake of this water plant, that covers a distance of almost 15 kilometres, all the pipes were uprooted, carted away and probably stolen.

“Even the intake facilities were destroyed and even taken away and sold,” he added.

The commissioner explained that even with the repair and restoration of the Chalawa plant, as well as the remaining water plants in Tamburawa, Second water works, third water works and others, only 500 million cubic litres of water per day can be produced.

This means more sources will have to be constructed to provide the remaining 200 cubic litres of water, to provide for the 700 cubic metres of water needed in Kano metropolis.

Kano Water Shortage: We will require N160bn to fix two treatment plants – State govt