Many Lagos residents are groaning over negative effects of climate change, with adverse impacts on their water sources and attendant acute shortage. The Guardian learnt that excruciating harsh, all-day hot sunny weather conditions have dried up many boreholes and wells in some communities in Lagos State. Areas like Ajegunle, Ijegun, Igando, Obadore, Akesan, Okerugbe and other dry land areas are worst hit.

This was occasioned by the hot weather conditions that evaporate water from the surface of the earth; forcing the hand dug wells and most boreholes to dry up and leaving residents without water to carry out their daily chores.

This was also compounded by perpetual epileptic power supply by electricity distribution companies. In Ajegunle for instance, which has no presence of state water supply or Federal Ministry of Water Resources, the residents are dying from lack of drinking water, dehydration and have resorted to using water from unconventional sources.

Residents are now regular callers at all the available medical centres for attention. For instance, all the wells on Uzor, Mba, Cardoso Queens Okito, Sholade, Akerele, Otakoya, Karipamo, John, Ohikere, among other streets in Ajegunle Apapa and environs have dried up when The Guardian visited most compounds on the streets.

On 137 Uzor Street, Ajegunle, three well diggers were at work trying to dig the well deeper to reach fresh water level. Most residents now source their water from hotels and sachet water companies, while others wake up at about 2.30a.m. to empty the little water that may have sipped into the well.

A resident at Chidi estate, Ajegunle, Obe Arakan lamented lack of public infrastructure, including pipe borne water in the community, saying, “We are suffering acute water shortage coupled with the hot weather conditions, since this prolonged heat wave started.

“We do not have any government presence including water works to supply pipe borne water.” Another resident, Job Igwe said: “I spend N1,500 daily on three bags of sachet water to bathe, cook, drink and do other house chores. The situation is even made worse by lack of electricity supply.

“Some of the compounds where boreholes were drilled, there is no electricity to pump out water. For the past three weeks, we have been without electricity. The situation is getting out of hand; as residents, especially children contend with avoidable ailments.”The residents called on the local, state and Federal Governments’ to consider getting tankers to supply water to various communities affected by the shortage.

“We want our various lawmakers both at the local, state and federal levels to embark on providing water to their constituencies through tankers; otherwise, with this heat weather and dried wells, don’t be shocked that people will begin to fetch water from the gutters,” Igwe said.

Responding, spokesperson for Lagos State Water Corporation, Adenike Fashola, said for weeks now, the Governor has been going round the state to ensure that water is running.

“I can tell you that the Adinyan phase 2 has been running, it runs 70 gallons daily.

“As I speak now, water is running in the Ikorodu axis. All hands are on deck to ensure that all have access to potable water in the state.

“This coming Saturday, we shall be having customer engagement to educate them on our activities.

“So, we are doing all we can to ensure that water gets to all and sundry. It is our joy that all have access to water supply and I must tell you that the kind of chlorine we use on our water is quite expensive and different from what many others use,” she said.