Residents of Kaduna State are grappling with worsening water scarcity despite the state government’s reported investment of over N16 billion in rehabilitating major water infrastructure.
In parts of Kaduna town, residents say their taps had been dry for weeks or months, forcing households to rely on water vendors and unsafe sources.
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“We hardly see water from the taps again. We now buy every day,” said a resident in Unguwan Rimi. Another resident in Barnawa added, “Even after all the money spent, nothing has changed for us.”
Residents, vendors struggle amid rising costs
When PREMIUM TIMES spoke with some residents and water vendors, they described a growing informal water economy driven by scarcity. Vendors said they often travel long distances to access functioning boreholes.
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A water vendor, Nazir Musa, explained that 10 25-litre jerrycans of water now sell for as much as N2,000, a price many households struggle to afford daily.
“We go deep into some areas before we can find water to buy. It is not easy,” the vendor said. “Sometimes we spend hours just to get water, and we even pay some private borehole owners.”
Residents also pointed to rising electricity costs. According to them, vendors often pay to pump water from privately owned boreholes, with the cost of fuel or power passed on to customers.
“The problem is not just water scarcity, it is also electricity,” another resident said. “Even those selling water are paying to pump it, so everything becomes expensive.” Umma Lariba, a resident of Kawo, Kaduna, said.
Government defends reforms
The crisis persists despite government claims of significant progress in the sector. Authorities say the investment was part of broader reforms aimed at restoring supply and expanding access across the state.
The state Commissioner for Information, Ahmed Maiyaki, defended the reforms, describing them as “strategic and comprehensive. aimed at building a resilient, efficient, and people-focused water system.”
He said the government was “not only increasing capacity but ensuring that water gets to households efficiently through upgraded infrastructure,” noting that over N16 billion has been committed to rehabilitating six major water treatment plants and expanding distribution networks.
Mr Maiyaki added that water production capacity has increased significantly in recent years, while hundreds of thousands of residents have benefited from improved services under ongoing programmes.
The government had declared a state of emergency in the water sector in 2023 to address decades of neglect, ageing infrastructure, and poor service delivery.
Persistent gaps despite investment
However, residents say supply remains inconsistent or completely unavailable in many areas, raising concerns about distribution failures and the effectiveness of the reforms.
Zubairu Ibrahim, a former staff member of the Kaduna State Water Board, told PREMIUM TIMES that the water crisis is not just about production capacity but also about ageing pipelines, leakages, poor maintenance, and rapid urban population growth—factors that often prevent increased output from reaching end users.
An official of the water board, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to comment publicly, told PREMIUM TIMES that the agency has improved its operations and commended Governor Uba Sani for the intervention.
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He, however, acknowledged the hardship some residents are facing, expressing optimism that the situation would soon improve.
“We understand what residents are going through, and we are not denying the challenges,” he said. “But a lot of work has been done to fix the system, and people will begin to see the results soon. Water supply will stabilise.”
The disconnect between rising investment and persistent scarcity has intensified scrutiny of the state’s water sector reforms, with residents calling for accountability and tangible improvements in daily water access.
