Hassan a Karofi, Kano
21 May 2007
Acute water shortage has hit most parts of Kano state in the last four days with youths and the aged seen on the streets of Kano searching for water. The Kano state water board has apologised to the people of the state over the shortage. Water vendors have thus raised the cost of a jerry can by over 400% from N20 per can to about N80 in places where the water could be found.
The situation is coming at a worse time when many wells have dried up due to the biting dry season. According to Alhaji Nasiru, General Manager of the Greater Kano Water project, the scarcity arose from burst pipes due to excessive pressure they experienced during pumping.He told Daily Trust that new pumping machines acquired and currently in use were too powerful for the pipes, thereby causing damage to the two major pipe lines used for water distribution.
"The new pipes in use are too powerful and this led to pipe bursting, because what happened is that we use the two pipes to pump water so as to get maximum supply, unfortunately after release we realised the pipes are too old to take the pressures hence the bursting and current shortage being experienced' he said.
However, he said, repair works has intensified in the past three days, to mend the bursted pipes.He said the board had thought that repairs would last a day, but found out after the initial repairs, only half of the capacity could be pumped, hence the decision to delay release until all burst pipes were rectified.
While apologising for the water scarcity, the General Manager said workers from the board have currently identified and are working day and night in the last three days to repair the remaining bursted pipes so as to normalise water supply to all parts of the state. Daily Trust found in most parts of the city that vendors now sell at exorbitant prices mostly at over 300% from the normal cost.
At Mandawari and Tal'udu areas of Kano, a jery can of water was sold at N80 instead of N20 three days ago, while at Rijyar Lemu and Kurna, it was slightly N30, a 200% increase from what it was sold some days ago.
At Sheka, Kumbotso and surroundings, the prices have been jerked up to over 400% selling at N40 to N45 from N15 to N20 last week.The situation is the same in most parts of the city, especially in areas like Rijiyar Zaki, Dorayi Babba and others where water vendors are not available. People were seen searching for water anywhere they could find.
The General Manager had assured that normal water supply will be restored as from tomorrow after repairs must have been completed.
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