Managing Director of Lagos State Water Corporation, Mr. Muminu Badmus, on Thursday, urged contractors working on roads across the state not to break water mains and service pipes.
Badmus, who gave the advice in an interview, in Lagos, also enjoined property-owners and tenants to refrain from passing water service pipes through drainage systems.
He said that such practice could result in water pollution and water-borne diseases when the pipes ruptured and the water became tainted.
“This advice is necessary to avoid the recurrence of incidents like the one that happened at Victoria Island where diesel was flowing from tap at No. 10, Tiamayu Savage Street; home of Mrs Lydia Onafeko.
“Our Victoria Island Zonal Distribution Team has established that the case is peculiar to that house, as water samples from other houses in the street are clean, clear, odourless and fit for consumption.
“The house is sandwiched by two generating sets, one of which, during servicing and fuel refilling, discharges diesel and black oil into the drainage system in front of the house.
“The drainage channel is blocked and filled up with black oil, diesel, empty PET bottles and other filthy items.
“There was also an activity of digging and thrust boring across the frontage of the house, carried out by a contractor of one of the telecommunication companies,’’ he said.
Badmus said that the digging affected the service pipe of the house and created an opening through which diesel and other liquid material intruded into the water service pipe.
He said that each time the water pumping machine was switched on to supply water to the house, all the debris inside the drainage channel, including diesel and black oil, were sucked along with the water.
He said that the corporation would put all necessary instruments in place to ensure that road contractors did not damage water mains and service pipes.
Badmus assured the public of the quality of the water produced and supplied by the corporation, saying that it conformed to acceptable standards.
He said that the corporation, nonetheless, needed assistance and cooperation of all the residents of the state in its efforts to attain quality service delivery. (NAN)