Water Supply:Kano Govt Reactivates 95-Year-Old Water Treatment Plant
By Abdullahi Yusuf
Kano State Government says it will reactivate the 95-year-old Challawa Water Treatment Plant to boost water supply in the state capital.
The facility which is the first water treatment plant in the state, was constructed in 1930 during the reign of the late Emir of Kano, Alhaji Abdullahi Bayero, to supply water to Kano city.
The Managing Director of the State Water Board, Alhaji Garba Ahmed Bichi, disclosed this to newsmen during a facility tour of the plant at Challawa, near Kano.
Bichi said the facility which used to supply 20 million cubic litres of water per day to parts of Kano city including Dorayi,Kabuga,BUK,Janguza Army Barrack and Kofar Famfo,had been lying moribund for 8 years due to neglect by the previous administration in the state.
Due to the neglect he explained, hoodlums had vandalized and looted the plants’ installations including pipes, raw water pumps and electrical starters.
According to him, the development had caused a shortfall in water supply in many parts of Kano city.
Throwing more light on situation, the state Commissioner of Water Resources,Alhaji Haruna Doguwa, said it would cost the government 3.5 million dollars to reactivate the Challawa Water Treatment Plant.
Doguwa,said the government had placed orders for equipment to be used for the reactivation of the water treatment plant.
The commissioner who also undertook a tour of the two Gwauron Dutse water tanks, condemned the looting of equipment at the facilities.
According to him, such vital equipment as valves, pipes and ventilators, were vandalized and stolen by thieves at the tanks which were mounted on the top of the Gwauron Dutse Hill.
He said the situation had contributed to water supply challenges being faced in parts of the state capital, adding that efforts were being made to replace the stolen equipment.