Enugu Residents Shun Church Services In Search Of Water

Hundreds of residents of Enugu metropolis, Sunday, shunned church services in search of potable water. They were seen carrying tens of gallons at various water selling points. Keke operators also resorted to buying water for customers rather than carrying passengers.

At the water tap along Enugu-Ninth Mile road, opposite Conoil, people in search of water stormed the spot as early as 6am. One of them said, “We are waiting for the tap to start running. We don’t have any option. It is the only source of water from the water board around here; it is drinkable. I do fetch about fifteen jerry cans weekly for my household. They say it is treated. I didn’t go to church because I couldn’t fetch water yesterday after much effort.”

At the water tap at the premises of Enugu State College of Medicine, Parklane, the usually lonely spot was a beehive of activities as people queued to fetch water. A nurse, who did not mention her name, said, “Before, you simply come here and fetch water. But the acute water scarcity in the metropolis makes fetching water a difficult task. I had to come along with my son to monitor the process because I’m on duty.”

While fetching water at Parklane is free, other spots charge from N10 to N25 per jerry can. A water vendor along Poultry road said, “It used to be N10, but it’s now N20. We also settle Water Board people. Some dealers are not official. They find a way to access water pipes and begin to sell water, and remit to some authorities of the board.”

Meanwhile, water tankers have continued to make brisk business in the face of the water scarcity. Gabriel Ajibo, based in Abakpa, said, “We have regular demands. In fact, as early as 4am, I’m already up to supply water to some hotels. It costs between N3, 500 and N4, 000, depending on the location. Water business is good this time around, but remember that it is seasonal. Once rain begins to fall, our business is always threatened.”

In another development, a delegation led by the special adviser to Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi on water resources, Hon Anthony Dubem Onyia, and the managing director of EN-RUWASSA, Dr Frank Omeje, recently visited the Nvuna River that traverses four communities of Nomeh, Unateze, Mburumbu and Nkerefi in Nkanu East Local Government Area of the state to ascertain the level of contamination of the water.

There were reports that the Nvuna River, which is the major source of water for domestic activities in the four communities, turned bloody and later black, with accusations and counter accusations pointing at bandits and fishermen.

An ethanol production factory located at Ituku/Ozalla, Enugu State, known as D-HAP Enterprises Services Ltd, which sources water from the Nvuna River, was also suspected to have allegedly discharged effluent into the river. The delegation’s investigations revealed that there was indeed contamination. The team also discovered that the effluent in question had destroyed all living organisms in the river, including fishes.

Hon Onyia told the residents of the readiness of the government to address the issue, as well as mitigate the challenges they were facing. He further advised them to avoid water from the river, adding that the state government was already considering emergency interventions, such as drilling of boreholes for the affected communities prior to the river cleanup exercise, among others.