Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said that the present lack of water supply being experienced in the Abuja City Centre and some satellite towns was due to a major rehabilitation of two of the four water treatment plants responsible for the production and supply of water to the residents.
Wike in a statement issued Sunday by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, said water supply to the residents will be rationed for a period of two weeks.
He said this is because only two water treatment plants would be in use, while the other two are undergoing rehabilitation.
The minister added that to mitigate the effects of the partial shutdown of water production and supply during the sallah celebration, the two plants being rehabilitated would be temporarily put on to supply water to residents during the sallah festive period.
Wike noted: “The FCT Water Board operates four water treatment plants of 30,000m3/hour, which are divided into Phases 1, 2, 3 and 4.
“As a result of the inefficiency of the plants, which are currently producing below their installed capacity, contracts were awarded for their rehabilitation to Messrs SCC Nigeria Limited.
“The rehabilitation works have reached an advanced stage on Phases 1 and 2 where the electro-mechanical equipment, which is the prime mover of the treatment plants, are to be replaced and reinstalled.
“This warranted a total shutdown of the two plants, which are interconnected. However, Phases 3 and 4 water treatment plants are operational but won’t sustain, meet or cater for the demand of the populace.
“Therefore, what is being experienced is a partial shutdown, not a total shutdown of the entire potable water supply to the residents of FCT as two of the water treatment plants are still in operation. But there is partial disruption on water production and supply to the residents.
“SCC is however working 24/7 to ensure that the works are concluded before the scheduled time.
“Consequently, in order to minimize the adverse effects on the FCT residents, the Water Board has made a time table on rationing by alternating between Lines 1 and 2 of the Distribution network.”
The minister urged residents to store enough water to cater for their needs during this period as supply would be rationed.