By Monsur Olowoopejo

As part of measures to enhance hygienic supply of water, Lagos State Government has concluded plans to establish the Lagos Water Council, aimed at ensuring effective and efficient regulation and protection of all underground water in the state.

Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello, who disclosed this at the first phase of stakeholders’ forum on sensitisation/awareness programme, themed: “Development of Water and Sanitation Policy for Lagos State,” held in Ikeja for Lagos West Senatorial District, said that this would help to create the lacking synergy between water and sanitation in the state.

“There must be a synergy between water and sanitation. There must be a council that should regulate it. Previously, we haven’t had this for years. We were just supplying water to the public and the private individuals are also just erecting boreholes in their homes without government’s knowledge, and there is need for the state to have this council” he said.

“This council will help to ensure that the waste generated and the underground water doesn’t mix up. Daily, residents of the state dig sock away and borehole in their houses; without creating certain distance between both infrastructures” Bello explained.

According to him, “In Igando and Ipaja axis of the state, the underground water has been polluted heavily and in Surulere, people have started extracting saline water from boreholes as underground water.