FCTA keen to implement water supply master plan

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has lined up activities to ensure adequate and safe portable water supply across, Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city.

To this effect, the FCTA under the leadership of Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello has ensured that water is provided to residents of the city through the implementation of the water supply master plan, which specifies the various stages of infrastructural developments for water supply in the territory.

The FCT currently has a Dam Reservoir of a 100 million metric tonnes of raw water supply at the Lower Usuma Dam with a backup supply of 850 million metric tonnes available from the Gurara Dam.

In addition there are four treatment plants in operation which have a collective treatment capacity of 30,000 metric tonnes per hour.

There are also several storage tanks all around the city of various capacities ranging from 3,000 to 45,000 metric tonnes which serve for effective distribution of water supply across the capital city and its environs.

Other infrastructure that have been provided include several kilometres of water distribution network crisscrossing the city as well as booster stations to aid water supply to areas of high elevation.

According to official statement from the administration, another factor in the success story which cannot be overlooked is the laudable leadership of the FCT Minister, Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello, who has considered the provision of clean water as a major priority of the FCT administration.

The statement disclosed that the Minister has continually supported innovative and progressive attempts to ensure sustainable water supply in the FCT.

It said that an outstanding example of these efforts is the firm support the Minister has given to the Japanese Assisted Project on Reduction of Non-Revenue Water (NRW), a project which was developed to curb wastage of water usage and also enhance revenue collection for water supply.

Commendably, the percentage of NRW in the three pilot areas has reduced from 66 percent to 37 percent within the first three years of the project.

The administration of Mallam Musa Bello, the statement noted, has also made other remarkable inroads in the quest to enhance water supply for the residents of the Federal Capital Territory.

One of such is the Greater Abuja Water Supply Scheme, which is being developed by the Federal Government in collaboration with the Chinese Government.

There is also the plan to create a Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency which will cater for the needs of the population in the rural communities of the FCT.

The management of the FCT Water Board in return has the responsibility to produce and supply potable water to the residents of the FCT. It also enjoys the unwavering support of the minister.

The statement revealed that through the Minister’s support, the management of Water Board headed by Engr. Aliyu Ahmad, was able to efficiently maintain and manage the water installations that ensures uninterrupted water supply to all the areas that are being served in the territory.

Acting Director of the FCT Water Board, Engr. Aliyu, in an interview, said he is passionate about ensuring constant water supply, improved operational performance and enhanced revenue generation, a promise made upon assumption of duty in June 2017.

He said he also initiated a situation analysis of the infrastructure/facilities to ascertain their conditions and what can be done to make them attain peak performance.

Aliyu noted that the intention is to do everything humanly possible to ensure that adequate clean water is provided in Abuja.