‘Adulterated water inimical to public health’

Water consumers in Bauchi have described as inimical to public health the level at which residents are being exposed to contaminated water in the state.

The consumers who also complained bitterly over high bills and muddy water supplied to them by the State Water ‎and Sewerage Corporation (BSCWSC) lamented that their lives may be in great danger.

The complains came to light at a sensitization exercise conducted in Gwallaga, Wunti and Yan-Tifa communities of Bauchi Local Government Area (LGA) by Rahama Women Development Programme in partnership with USAID funded WASH coordination project (WCP).

A spokesman of the communities who is also the Ward head of Gwallaga Alhaji Dandada Ahmadu also enumerated other challenges to include low water pressure and low duration of supply of water to consumers which he described as inadequate.

“Some of ‎ our challenges also include, pipe blockages, pipe leakages, supply of muddy water, low frequency and unfulfilled promises of free water by politicians “. Dandada said.

Speaking during an advocacy visit to community and Religious leaders, the program manager of RAHAMA, a Bauchi based NGO Mr. Yohanna Yisa Doko said, “The sensitization is aimed at creating awareness on consumers’ rights to access and supply of water, their responsibilities to the public utility and need for community ownership of public facilities”.

He said, as a result of the interaction, Fahimta alongside community representatives of three water consumer groups that visited 300 households to educate consumers on need to avoid wastage ‎of water and report damage to public water utility in their respective communities.

“The advocacy exercise gave us the opportunity to create awareness on Water usage, consumer responsibility, water consumers’ ‎right, reporting water related issues, improve consumers’ awareness to demand quality, reliable and equity of service from water utility”. Yisa Doko added.

In his remark, the Coordinator ‎of WCP in Bauchi Engineer Soni Elisha implored community leaders to sustain the tempo of the sensitization so as to promote understanding between water consumers and the Bauchi State water and Sewerage Corporation.