As the world marks World Water Day, the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has declared an aggressive push to deepen access to potable water across Ogoni, signaling a shift from targeted intervention to widespread community coverage.

Project Coordinator, Nenibarini Zabbey, said the Project is no longer limiting its efforts to oil-impacted areas as recommended by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), but is now driving a broader agenda to ensure every Ogoni community has access to safe drinking water.

Framing water as a “fundamental human right,” Zabbey said HYPREP aligned its strategy with this year’s World Water Day theme, Water and Gender, and the campaign slogan, Where Water Flows, Equity Grows, emphasizing inclusivity and equal access.

Zabbey revealed that over 43 communities in Ogoni have already been connected to potable water, with fresh momentum coming from the rollout of Phase 3 projects expected to serve 17 additional communities.

He disclosed that in rural pockets of Khana Local Government Area, windmill-powered water schemes are also gaining ground, targeting underserved settlements.

While in what appears to be a near-term milestone, Zabbey said the K-Dere Water Project—now over 99 percent complete—is set for commissioning in the coming weeks, further boosting supply in the region.

He insisted that the effort is firmly on track to meet Sustainable Development Goal 6, which targets universal access to clean water and sanitation by 2030.

He added that beyond infrastructure, the Project is pushing a community-driven sustainability model and has explored partnerships with the Rivers State Ministry of Water Resources and Rural Development and the Rivers State Small Towns Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RSSTOWA) and are being leveraged to ensure long-term management.

According to him, Water Consumers’ Associations have already been established in Nchia, Eleme, with training extended to other communities through NGO collaborations.

Echoing the call of the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, Zabbey urged host communities to take ownership of the facilities, warning that sustainability depends on local protection and support.

With waterborne diseases still a major public health concern in the Niger Delta, the Project Coordinator said HYPREP expanded water intervention is not just about infrastructure—but about safeguarding lives.