Lagos govt seals CWAY, other water factories

…Place La Casera, Cascade Waters, 7up, Coca cola and Guinness under surveillance

In its determination to ensure compliance with the Lagos State Groundwater Quality Control Regulation and the Lagos State Drinking Water Quality Standard, the Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission, (LSWRC) has sealed off the premises of CWAY Nigeria Drinking Water Science and Technology Company Limited.

The operations also affected a popular water producing company located at Plot 6, Block H, Oshodi Industrial Scheme, after Charity Bus Stop, Apapa/Oshodi Expressway and Figol Water, a pure water industry located at Matori Industrial Estate, Mushin.

The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Arc. Ahmed Kabiru Abdullahi, who led his team on the compliance enforcement exercise, which also took them on inspection to Nigerian Breweries Limited and earlier to La Casera, Cascade Waters, 7up, Coca cola and Guinness Nig. Plc. (on inspection only), said CWAY Limited was sealed for non-declaration of all its facilities and non-compliance as stipulated in the regulatory guidelines of the Lagos State Water Sector Law (LSWSL) 2004.

According to him, the move is in line with the vision of the Government to curb the occurrence and spread of water borne diseases in the state as well as improve the standard of living and promote safety culture at all times, saying that the State Government is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that all stakeholders in the water sector comply with the guidelines and regulations for water abstraction/Consumption as stipulated by the law.

He stated further that the administration of His Excellency, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, being a very responsive and responsible Government, would no longer fold its hands and watch the pollution of the groundwater through indiscriminate abstraction and illegal borehole drilling that is polluting the groundwater on a daily basis. He revealed that the 1st and 2nd aquifers of water underground  are the worst hit and that the State Government is taking adequate steps to ensure the preservation and conservation of all the aquifers of water underground to ensure safety of lives, provision of potable water that is of good quality and a water sector that is sustainable and viable.

He also revealed that A Sustainability Plan of the State Government will soon be launched by His Excellency, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode and it will involve the participation of the Corporate Private Sector.

While acknowledging the challenges associated with the supply of water to residents of the State, Arc A. K. Ahmed said the intention of government is to ensure a well regulated Water Sector devoid of abuse by all Stakeholders. This he said will make the Sector attractive for participation by the private sector and will attract huge investment, stressing that by the year 2020, the present 33% water provision would rise to 100% when the sector is expected to be fully compliant with the regulations.

He reminded all Borehole Operators to regularise and get permits for their Boreholes for water abstraction and all Water Service Providers and Borehole Drillers should obtain requisite Licenses for their operations, stressing that the Government is set to implement the provisions of the Lagos State Water Sector Law (LSWSL) 2004 to the letter.