Nsukka residents decry scarcity of public water supply

A cross-section of residents of Nsukka town has cried out over the protracted scarcity of water supply by the Enugu State Water Board.
Speaking on Wednesday, the people said they depended on commercial water tanker dealers for their water needs since the past one month.
Public taps went dry in the area for over a month, leading to water scarcity.
Mr Mark Ozioko, who lives at Enugu Road, Nsukka, said: “I have been buying water from tanker operators for my family need.
“2020 was better because the public tap would run at least once a week but the performance of water board since this year has been nothing to write home about.
”For the past one month, the publuc tap in my compound has been dry.”
Mrs Rita Nnadi, who lives at Odenigbo Road, Nsukka, said that commercial water dealers had capitalised on the situation to hike the price of the commodity in the area.
“Before, it cost between N2,200 and N2,500 to fill a 1,000-gallon water tank but now it costs between N3,000 and N3,500.
“Also, a 20-litre jerrycan of water was sold for N50 but now it sells between N80 and N100.
“If water supply is regular, it will help to checkmate arbitrary increase in the price of the commodity,” Nnadi said.
Mr Daniel Ezeme, who resides at Aku Road, Nsukka, said he did not know if the state water board existed.
Ezeme said he never used water from public tap for the past 10 years he had lived in the  area.
“Since I packed into Aku Road, I have always depended on commercial water tanker dealers.
“I do not even know if public water pipes were laid in this area,” he said.
When contacted, the board’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Romanus Ugwu, blamed the poor water supply in Nsukka on the lack of public power to pump water.
“If we resort to generating set to power our system in order to pump water for the public, the monthly water rate will be too high for our customers to pay,” Ugwu said.
He also said that the problem was compounded by a breakdown of the water boleholes in Nsukka.
He said the board had begun the repair of the boreholes, adding that the problem would soon be over.
“The board will be happy if the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company will increase power supply in all the areas we have our boleholes in Nsukka,” Ugwu said.