By Marie-Therese Nanlong

Jos – The Managing Director of the Jos Water Services Corporation, Engr. Apollos Samchi, has announced that over 40,000 residents in Jos and its environs will soon benefit from clean and steady water supply following the rehabilitation of the Yelwa Water Treatment Plant.

Engr. Samchi made this known during an inspection of the plant, which had been inactive for over 15 years. The facility is being revived through a partnership between the Plateau State Government and the World Bank, aiming to ease the pressure on the aging water infrastructure.

The Yelwa plant, with a capacity of 5,000 cubic meters, transmits water to a 1,200 cubic meter tank in Bukuru and will serve communities such as Gyel, Kwata Zawan, Bukuru, and Vom. A major pipeline extension to Gyel has already been completed.

Samchi noted that water shortages in Jos, particularly during the dry season, are due to outdated infrastructure, climate change, and population growth but the Corporation is engaging local communities and introducing smart metering and POS machines to improve billing and revenue collection.

Efforts are also underway to provide a dedicated solar power supply for water facilities to reduce reliance on the unstable national grid.

Also speaking on Wednesday during the inspection led by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Joyce Ramnap, the Commissioner for Works, Ubandoma Laven, and other officials, the State government showcased the impact of its ongoing infrastructure revival efforts.

The inspection also covered critical sites including the Lankan bridge, Kagu road, Tilengdiyes road, Mangu, Bwoi, Mushu roads, and other ongoing projects, Ramnap highlighted that the projects were carefully prioritized based on their direct benefits to citizens, and emphasized the State’s commitment to infrastructure development and service delivery.

“Out of 49 abandoned projects inherited by this administration, we’ve revived 17, many of which are near completion or ready for commissioning,” she stated.