Reviving Aba Regional Water Scheme – filling the void in public water supply
By Chukwuma Elvis
Time was when pipe borne water for public use was almost a service taken for granted in Aba the Enyimba city. The same was the case in Umuahia and other semi urban centers and communities in Abia which formed part of the old Imo state.
Back then as kids, we could turn on the tap at home or within the family compound and have pipe borne water running straight from the city water works laced with freshness that is unmistakably pure and alluring.
Those were the good old days as many would say, bringing back fond memories of when the taps in Aba and Umuahia had water running through pipes to households. This critical public utility had become part of our daily life growing up.
However as it became with many public infrastructure in the state under the old order marked by vision less leadership, so it was also with the provision of pipe borne water for public use. It ceased to flow with the taps running dry all over Aba and Umuahia leaving many stranded in this loss of a critical service which had become centralized in the hand of the government.
Individuals took up the challenge to provide water for themselves through boreholes which largely failed to meet the minimum regulatory standards for highgein and safety. Many of the boreholes which sprang up to provide water for the population were installed close to sewage pits; failing to drill down to standard depths allowing for reasonably clean water to be sourced.
Water burn diseases became rampant across the population because many were forced to make do with water that wasn’t pure and fit for human consumption. Past administrations in the state at best paid lip service to the provision of treated pipe borne water which many within the population come to view as a critical public service any responsible government is obligated to offer.
With the flag-off of the reactivation and modernisation of the Aba Regional Water Scheme – CKC Phase 1 by Governor Alex Ottis’, there is a paradigm shift from the abnormal which became the norm to a new normal in the New Abia- the taps in Aba must run with water again.
This is another significant step in the transformative leadership of Gov. Otti in the overall drive to evolve a new society where things are done right. Gov. Otti shows uncommon courage in the face of challenges which former leaders have fled from. We make this argument because the entire public water purification and supply system in Abia totally collapsed – not a drop of water had been supplied by the entire network in over two decades.
The Aba River intake, the Ariaria water scheme and the CKC Water Scheme; none of these three public Water works in Aba delivered a drop of H2O but were met in a state of abandonment by the current administration.
With the move by the Government of Dr. Alex Otti to revamp the CKC Water Scheme phase one, a project which will be delivered in six months, it will among other targets see to the renovation of the water treatment building and generator house; the revamping of elevated tank, boreholes, pumps, pipelines; reactivation of water treatment plant; restoration of power supply; reticulation to standpoints; operation and maintenance with the training of Abia State water and sewage corporation staff to manage the reactivated scheme.
The Revamp of Aba Regional Water Scheme – CKC Phase 1 under the state Ministry of Power and Public Utilities aims to restore the supply of water to at least 1milion persons in fulfilment of Gov. Ottis’ promise which became a mandate to provide portable water to Aba residents.
The countdown is on and in the next 6 months – that is specifically by the Month of December in 2025, Aba residents will begin to enjoy portable water as a Christmas gift from Governor Alex Otti. Known for delivering projects on schedule, Gov. Otti will most definitely make good on this also as it is in his habit.
There is no gainsaying that it keeps getting better in Abia under the watch of Governor Alex Otti with his transformative wand sweeping across all sectors in the state. The Abia Integrated Wash Accelerated Programme – AIWAP- is another project connected to the availability of portable water in a quest to improve public hiegine in attaining the long term Sustainable Development Goal number 6.
This goal aims to provide safe, readily available and sustainable water and sanitation services in Abia that support both current and future developmental needs.
The Abia Integrated Wash Accelerated Programme saw the commissioning by Gov. Otti of a modern wash facility powered by solar energy at the Okigwe Park located in Umuahia North Local government area. This is part of the overall effort to discourage open defecation across the state and motor parks are notorious for this unhygienic and repulsive practice.
The latest move by the state government to revive moribund public water supply schemes and to provide new facilities, underscores the recognition of the importance of portable water to both personal and public highgein by the administration of Dr. Alex Otti.
Hence no effort will be spared by this government to attain this noble objective in the reactivation of critical public utilities in Abia.
The lights have been switched back on, the roads have been fixed with satisfied Abians ridding on them and now the taps will soon run with clean water to residents and the good people of Aba – all made possible by the visionary and focused leadership provided by Dr. Alex Chioma Otti.
Abia is on the move – approaching the promised Land and history will judge Gov. Alex Otti kindly for his giant strides in God’s Own State.
Chukwuma Elvis is a
Public Affairs Commentator