Water Board Loses N400m To Illegal Connections – GM

By: Wisdom Acka

FCT Water Board loses between N350 to N400 million yearly to illegal connections on its trunk mains.

General Manager of the Board, Engr. Tauheed Abayomi Amusan, who made this disclosure during a media briefing in his Area 3, Garki, Abuja office on Thursday, added that the figure represented 60 percent of the Board’s water lost yearly.

He attributed the loss, which he termed “non-revenue water”, to illegal connections, water leakages and vandalization of infrastructure.

Though, the Board has embarked on disconnection of the illegal tappings on its water supply networks, the GM regretted that such illegality was still compromising the Board’s supply of treated water to its teaming customers.

Calling on customers to desist from tempering with FCT Water Board facilities for the benefit of the public, the new GM berated the unlawful practices by some residents; saying they were hampering the Board’s capacity to supply water to 1.2 million population, even though FCT population was estimated at over two million.

He warned that there was a law in place, which would be used for the prosecution of those perpetrating such illegalities.

The General Manager also announced increment of water tariff from N80 per cubic litres to N110 for domestic consumption, while commercial customers are now to pay N300 instead of N150 per cubic litres.

According to him, one cubic litre of water translates to 1000 litres, which is an equivalent of five drums of water, even as he disclosed that the FCT Administration was producing a cubic litre at N200, meaning it was still been subsidised.

Unveiling a five-year vision for the Board to ensure constant water supply and shore up its revenue, among others, the General Manager stated that the ongoing work for the landmark Abuja Greater Water supply project would supply water to 50 Districts, servicing about three million people.

The Board’s Director, Administration and Finance, Daniel Salka Audu appealed to the media to support the Board’s determination to ensure steady supply of water to the residents.

He stated that the Board was always open to advice and suggestions where necessary on how to improve service delivery to residents.

“If there are areas you know we are not doing well, come to us quietly so that we solve it quietly too”, he appealed.