Commissioner identifies 58 non-functional water facilities in Abia

Abia State Commissioner for Power and Public Utilities, Ikechukwu Monday, has disclosed that all 58 water facilities in the state are currently not functional.

Monday, who spoke after the Information Commissioner, Prince Okey Kanu, also announced that the State Executive Council (SEC) approved the Abia Integrated Water Sanitation and Hygiene Accelerated Programme that would involve upgrading water facilities and water treatment in the state.

The Commissioner for Power and Public Utilities, who linked the poor state of the water facilities to the absence of power, assured that implementing the Abia Integrated Water Sanitation and Hygiene Accelerated Programme initiatives will address the water supply issues, describing water as critical to public health.

He said: “The initiative was conceived as a three-phase programme, involving retrofitting existing boreholes with solar-powered systems, particularly in rural areas, to ensure consistent water supply without reliance on the power grid.

“We are using the existing boreholes that will be solar-powered, especially those in our rural areas so that people can have access to water without power constraint, as we also want to integrate water treatment based on the water analysis.”

He also indicated that the state government will install 10 solar-powered sanitation facilities across the three senatorial zones of the state.