For weeks and even months, Lagosians have had nothing flowing through their pipes but trickles of water.
In some cases, not even a drop.
As a result, most residents have resorted to digging wells or boreholes.
In most cases, they enlist the services of mairuwa (water vendors).
Sadly, the Lagos Water Corporation (LWC) has had no response to the prevailing situation and there have been no rock-solid assurances that the situation would get any better anytime soon.
On Sunday, in a statement, the LWC apologised to its customers for the disruption in water supply, attributing it to technical issues.
Mr Muminu Badmus, Group Managing Director, LWC, who signed the statement, attributed the disruption to a technical problem presently encountered at the major water plants.
He, however, assured Lagos residents that efforts were ongoing to restore the potable water supply soon.
He apologised to the residents for the inconveniences caused at this period and thanked them for their patience, understanding and cooperation.
The Lagos Water Corporation. formerly Federal Water Supply, is the principal supplier of water throughout Lagos State.
It is an agency of the Lagos State Government.
Its operations first came into being when the Waterworks was commissioned by Mr. Frederick Lugard, the then Governor-General of Nigeria, in 1915 at Obun Eko Area of Lagos.
The Lagos Water Corporation then under the Federal Government was established with the construction of Iju Water Works.
The Iju treatment plant had an initial design capacity of 2.45 million gallons per day (MGD) and was constructed primarily to supply water to the colonial residents of Ikoyi in those days.
Water was initially distributed to colonial Lagos through a cast-iron trunks mains pipeline with a 28-inch diameter. The initial beneficiaries were European residents of Ikoyi and then Lagos Island but gradually pipe water reached other areas including Ijora, Apapa, Iddo, and Ebute Metta.
The distribution capacity was increased in 1943 with the addition of a second pipeline.
Prior to 1954, the source of water for the scheme was from the Iju and Adiyan streams.
Further increase in capacity occurred in 1954 to serve Ikorodu Road, Ikeja and Eastern Lagos and the abstraction of water was extended to the Ogun River.
In the years 1962, 1965, 1973 and 1985 capacity was further increased. In 1985, capacity had reached 45 million gallons per day.
After the creation of Lagos State in 1967, the responsibility of Iju Waterworks was transferred to the state.
Water supply from Iju is dependent on public power supply and incessant power outages affects the productivity of the plant.
In 2010, the state government commissioned an independent power plant to supply electricity to the facility.
Currently, the total installed water production capacity is about 210 million gallons per day (MGD).
For Lagos State to meet its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets on universal access to water, an annual sector spending of ₦300billion would be required according to the international NGO, WaterAid.
Unfortunately, its yearly annual budget provision is restricted to N10 billion for capital and recurrent costs.
