Residents of Nyanya/Karu have commended the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister, Nyesom Wike, for restoring potable water to the areas.
The satellite towns of Nyanya and Karu have been without water since last October, when there was a pipeline disruption conveying water to the areas.
The acting general manager of the agency, Daniel Salka Audu, reassured the residents that the board would do everything in its power to rectify the damage.
The minister, determined to ensure that water is available to the FCT residents, engaged a contractor to repair the damaged three-kilometre stretch of the pipeline.
Last week, the water board announced to its customers in Karu/Nyanya that water would be released to the areas.
On Saturday, water was released, and the general manager advised the residents to use it and wash their tanks, which had previously had muddy water.
On Monday, another batch was released to enable total cleansing of the customers’ tanks.
Meanwhile, the GM has implored residents to pay their bills as appropriate.
He said the board is determined to increase its internally generated revenue in line with the directive of the FCT Minister.
He said the FCT Water Board provides the best potable water in Nigeria and the sub-region.
He further reminded customers that achieving this required vast sums of money.
He also called on the customers to avoid giving the staff money to help them pay.
Similarly, he warned staff against engaging in corruption and vowed that any staff caught would be dealt with accordingly.
The GM advised the customers to use its portal or go to the bank to offset their bills, as no staff is authorised to collect cash from its customers.
He said he would vigorously pursue the agency’s mandate, which is responsible for providing safe, adequate, and affordable water supply to residents of FCT following World Health Organisation and Nigerian drinking water quality standards.
Daniel Salka added that the board is desirous to improve service delivery in its coverage of the FCT, but this can only happen with the cooperation of its customers.
He decried the situation in which some residents engage in illegal connections, thereby reducing the water pressure and subsequently affecting the residents’ water supply.
He reminded both the staff and customers that the board has an Act, the FCT Water Board Establishment Act (2017), which criminalises illegal connections, diversions, and tempering with water waters, among other things, and can lead to fines and imprisonment as may be determined by the FCT High Court.
