Owerri: Leapfrogging current approaches

As part of its recommendations to end the global water and sanitation crisis; the UN Millennium Project Task Force on water and sanitation had emphasized that Investment in water and sanitation must focus on sustainable service delivery, rather than construction of facilities alone. Appositely, the UN Millennium Project Task Force had reported in 2005 that “expanding water and sanitation coverage is not a rocket-science”. This is true in present day circumstances, more so now that adverse climatic condition persists, and rural-urban migration explosion continues. In Owerri, the population is expected to more than double between the years 2010 and 2070; growing from almost 1.5million to about 3.5million.That growth will result in twice the municipal water demand, which is projected to increase from about 400,000 acre-feet per year in 2010 to 820,000 acre-feet per year in 2070. During the period, the total water supply in Owerri is projected to decrease by 300,000 acre-feet per year due to various factors, such as reservoir siltation and reduced river flow etc. Faced with a growing population and diminishing water supply, Owerri will need to develop new water supplies and encourage alternative technologies such as Rain Water Harvesting to complement available water sources to support productive water use for the urban poor as a proactive risk management strategy. Sadly, current scenarios of Nigerians particularly urban dwellers trekking long distances in search of water and scooping water from unwholesome sources have persisted over the years.  These scenes reinforces the fact that our cities, with all their seemingly glitter lack one of the most basic, yet most important resources, required for any meaningful living. There are no arguments that would suffice for this aberration. No explanations are sufficient. One of the laziest explanations easily given is that populations have outgrown the projections and provisions that were made for urban centers. It is sad, to say the least, that in 2006, residents of Nigeria’s major urban centers cannot get adequate water for both productive and domestic uses. This is a shame that must be addressed quickly, and effectively. I s it not true that any country that cannot provide drinking water for its people does not take the welfare of the people serious?  Investments in hospitals and health centers though good; are incapable of substituting for the number one role of clean and adequate water supplies as a veritable health and prosperity enabler. In this context clean and adequate water supply remains the first step to poverty alleviation. The gross negligence of the adequate water needs of the people has translated to many deaths and diseases etc. Also many truncated water projects, consuming billions of Naira give evident to both corruption and insouciance in government. A pointer is the fact that there are no records of people being prosecuted for these truncations.  Water for industrial and commercial uses has become the responsibility of the various organizations that engage in those enterprises. When companies talk about the high cost of production, water supply is one of them. Water is mentioned each time that the Fire Service fails to discharge its responsibilities. The 2006 air crash in Port Harcourt was one major incident where the Fire Service blamed absence of water for not performing its duty. Most of the major diseases - typhoid fever, cholera, guinea worm, diarrhea, and malaria – have something do with low hygiene standards, often related to the limited amount of water available to the people. Experts have held, over the years, that with good water supply, most of these diseases would be avoided, or drastically reduced.  Sadly the authorities tend to see these as matters merely for seminars and workshops. Why the inertia by government to sustainably invest in water projects that would change the lives of Nigerians? Are governments unaware of the importance of water to life? When would the rich gains from Nigeria’s oil and gas industry benefit Nigerian citizens? If urban dwellers in modern day Nigerian cities like Owerri, Port Harcourt, Lagos and Abuja scrounge for water, it becomes easy to imagine what happens in the rural areas like my Uboma community in Ihitte/Uboma local government area or in Aro-mmiriukwu in Uturu, Isikwuato local government area that have been abandoned to the ravages of all the water-borne diseases that have found ready residence. While sharing in the Governor Ikedi Ohakim’s vision of a clean and green environment, the Imo state government should further motivate residents of Owerri to embark on water saving campaigns and rain harvesting. The government at all levels should however provide the mechanisms for this. Campaigns could be aimed at making water saving a ‘second nature’ in every home. Saving the rain campaign could aim to engender a greater personal sense of responsibility for water saving measurers amongst productive water users through an intensive public awareness campaign. It could start by embarking on a state or national survey to gauge public attitudes to water saving and rainwater harvesting. With careful design, water harvesting could be easily integrated into, for example, the existing urban water systems to boost productive uses and other enterprises. The key to an effective harvesting system is the capture of surface water runoff from an area. Often, an area has been designed or modified during a storm to avoid water logging.  However, if the natural drainage paths are harnessed and diverted into new or existing water features to provide storage, the water can then be pumped for irrigation purposes or to an alternative storage location where productive users can access it with ease. Since some productive activities may not really require water of very high quality, then rainwater harvest comes into play. A campaign brochure and website providing advice on water saving and installation advice on Rainwater Harvesting systems could be made available to homeowners, builders and installers. The information should also emphasize the importance of ensuring that any pipes containing rainwater are colored or labeled to prevent them being mistakenly connected into the drinking water supply. In addition, sizing the storage tank to match the local rainfall and the size of the roof catchment is essential to capturing sufficient rain to make real contribution to water usage. Such campaign should be committed to achieving changes in regulations to make Rainwater Harvesting compulsory on all new building within three years. It could also push for a system of grants or credit facilities to be available for householders to install rain collection systems. It may also aim to generate growing public support and interest in water saving measures and increase pressure to push rain saving initiatives up the political agenda. As tariffs rise, rainwater harvesting and other options become attractive. To collect water off the roof of a home or office and store it for future use is efficient. While there are some constraints, such as the roof for storage in very densely populated areas, there is tremendous potential not yet harnessed.  May be what would be required is for local authorities in Owerri and elsewhere to amend the bylaws so that no new home is built that does not have rainwater collection from the roof arch and storage for that water on site. In addition, for the owners of existing houses to also comply with these bylaws, time frames of 5-10 years can be given for the modification of the roofs and grounds of all existing homes.

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