Enugu Begins Rehabilitation of 9th Mile Water Scheme With Solar Boreholes

To ameliorate the water scarcity ravaging Enugu metropolis, the state government, Wednesday, announced a contract award for the rehabilitation of the 9th Mile Crash Programme Water Supply Scheme. The contract was awarded to FordMarx Nigeria Limited at the cost of N600m, and expected to boost the water supply at Oji River, Ajali and Iva water schemes, which are the sources of potable water to the state capital.

A statement by the special adviser to the governor on water resources, Hon Anthony Dubem Onyia, said the contract, which has six months’ duration, would boost the volume of water being reticulated from the 9th Mile Crash Programme Water Supply Scheme to Enugu metropolis.

According to him, the 9th Mile Crash Programme Water Supply Scheme would be solar powered to address the peculiar challenges of power supply, adding that the project has a two-year warranty and maintenance period by the company.

The project is a network of twelve boreholes connected to a massive pumping station, and a mini treatment plant that will reticulate water to Enugu metropolis through transmission pipelines, he stated.

He further said the Ugwuanyi administration had commenced the bid opening and evaluation meeting for new Okwojo Ngwo boreholes augmentation to Enugu metropolis, noting that the augmentation, which is a network of ten solar powered boreholes, was a newly conceived design to boost water production and distribution to Enugu metropolis and its environs.

Similarly, the Enugu State government has engaged a consultant to prepare engineering designs for the transmission and distribution pipelines, reservoirs and bolster stations for the Nsukka Water Supply Project from Adada River Dam.

Our correspondent reports that the construction of the dam and water treatment plant was part of the projects being done by the Federal Ministry of Water Resources while the Enugu State government is constructing the pipelines from the dam to the bolster stations and reservoir which will be located at elevated points and distribution pipelines at Nsukka. The state is expected to commit about N3bn as counterpart funds, while the completion is expected within twenty-four months.