By; Abdull-Azeez Ahmed Kadir, Kaduna.
Kaduna State Government has approved the sum of N3.5bn for the rehabilitation of twelve water treatment plants in the state.
The State Commissioner for Water Resource, Engineer Suleiman Aliyi Lere disclosed this while addressing journalists on the outcome of the State weekly Executive Council meeting presided by Governor Nasir Ahmad El-rufai.
The council approved the rehabilitation and retroffitting works on the treatment plants within Kaduna North new and old, and Kaduna South between 2016 and 2017, he stressed.
“The total approved is to the tune of three billion five hundred and twenty million Naira for the rehabilitation of 12 water treatment plants in the state.
“This is the work that will take us between now and next year. Their is a provision of 900 million naira in our budget for this year to commence the work, continue in 2017 and end in the third quarter”, he assured.
According to him, the subsequent work will continue 2017 budget and beyond.
According to him, there would be also changing of old pipes, pumps,de-silting of tanks and reservoire, “particularly pre-settlement tanks and clarifies for the water works.”
“Water works in Kafanchan, Manchok and Saminaka water works, this are first set of water works that are to be consider this year, and subsequently we consider the other water works next year” he said
The second component of the project he said will include the replacement of old pipes that are laid within the state for the provision of water
“Particularly the main lines of asbestos pipes that have been phased out globally and the state has initiated a programme of replacing all the pipes used in transmission of water with the more health friendly ductile iron and PVC pipes where necessary ” he said.
According to him, the replacement will start with Doka District within Kaduna metropolis, Rigasa District and Barnawa District
He said, this will cost the State Government about 524million naira for the rehabilitation, extension of pipe network to some of the populated area within the districts.
“It is not going to cover all the new areas, but atleast we are starting with this three areas and we have seven district within Kaduna” he explained, while the remaining four districts will be considered in 2017 budget.
He said, the whole idea is to ensure that all the decayed infrastructures are either revived or totally replaced and enhance quality and quantity of water supply in the state.
