The Lagos State Water Corporation is to invest $3.5 billion about N575.5 billion in water production and supply through Public Private Partnership (PPP) in the state.
The corporation’s Group Managing Director, Mr Shayo Holloway, made this known in Lagos on Sunday.
Holloway said the investment would boost water production and supply from 210 million gallons per day to 745 million per day by 2020.
He said that this was in line with the corporation’s master plan project targeted at providing potable water in all the nooks and crannies of the state.
“To increase our current water distribution from 210 million gallons per day to 745 million gallons per day, we intend to invest about 3.5 billion dollars.
“What we are doing now is to involve Public Private Partnership in the project to acquire the needed equipment because the state government cannot do it alone,” he said.
The group managing director also identified vandalism, illegal connections and residents’ refusal to pay for water service as some of the challenges facing the corporation.
“We have challenges. Our challenges are far greater than other states. Lagos State is the most populous state in the country with over 20 million habitants.
“We are currently expanding our network on piping,” he said.
Holloway said the corporation would soon inaugurate the Ota-Ikosi Mini-waterworks in Ikorodu with capacity of four million gallons of water per day.
He explained that the waterworks would serve more than 11 communities in Ikorodu and Epe axis.
“Besides, we are in the process of finalising the design with a foreign company to develop 50 million gallons of water per day in Badagry to serve Mile 2.
“Also, another construction of waterworks is ongoing at Odomola in Epe which will serve Epe, Ibeju-Lekki and other environs.
“The state currently needed about 540 million gallons of water per day, but we are constrained due to some challenges of epileptic power supply and lack of access to funds,” Holloway said.
