Gombe Expands Mallam Inna Water Scheme To Boost Supply By 4m Litres

The Gombe State Government is rehabilitating and expanding the Mallam Inna Water Scheme to increase its capacity to four million litres as part of efforts to tackle persistent water shortages in Gombe metropolis and neighbouring communities.

The project, alongside a dedicated water scheme at the Agro Livestock Development Zone, is expected to strengthen the state’s water infrastructure and improve access to potable water amid growing demand driven by urbanisation and population growth.

The Commissioner for Water Resources, Nasiru Adamu Degri, disclosed this during an inspection of the two projects, expressing satisfaction with the quality and pace of work.

At the Mallam Inna facility, the rehabilitation and expansion works cover a new borehole source, modern water treatment plant, four-million-litre reservoir, rehabilitation of an existing one-million-litre ground tank and construction of an additional 500,000-litre tank.

Degri said borehole drilling and rehabilitation had been completed, while construction work on the administrative blocks and power house was at an advanced stage.

The project also features an independent solar farm, with provisions for electricity supply from the national grid and a standby generator to ensure uninterrupted water production.

The scheme is expected to distribute water through overhead tanks across Gombe metropolis.

These include a 500,000-litre tank behind Gombe State University in Shamaki Tudun Wada, which will serve Kagarawal, Mallam Inna and Anguwa Uku.

Another one-million-litre tank at the Federal College of Education is to be rehabilitated to supply Federal Low-Cost, Unguwan Sarki, Tudun Wada and adjoining communities.

A third 500,000-litre tank at Alkaira Jauro Abare will serve Alkaira, Arawa A and B, Jauro Abare and London Mai Dorawa.

At the Agro Livestock Development Zone, the inspection team assessed a dedicated water scheme designed to serve the abattoir and livestock market within the facility.

The project comprises about 24 boreholes, a water treatment facility, a four-million-litre surface tank and a one-million-litre reservoir.

It will operate on a hybrid power system combining solar energy, electricity from the national grid and a generator.

The commissioner said the two projects would complement the Dadinkowa and Gombe Regional Water Schemes while extending distribution networks to communities with inadequate water supply.

He commended the indigenous contractor, Jidadu Ventures Nigeria Ltd, for the quality and pace of work, while urging the consultant, Global Ecological Consult, to ensure strict compliance with project specifications, standards and safety requirements.

Degri expressed optimism that the projects would significantly improve water supply across Gombe metropolis and its environs.

“No doubt, when all these projects are completed, water supply problems will be a thing of the past,” he said.

The contractor pledged to complete the projects within schedule, expressing confidence that they would be commissioned before the end of the governor’s tenure.

The expansion comes amid rising demand for water infrastructure in Gombe metropolis, where population growth and urbanisation have increased pressure on existing public water supply systems.