Abuja: The Federal Government has set up 12 water quality reference laboratories across Nigeria as a strategic move to enhance water quality monitoring and surveillance. This initiative was announced by the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, during the inaugural Annual Water Quality Conference held in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Prof. Utsev, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Richard Pheelangwah, stated that these laboratories are part of the National Water Quality Reference Laboratories and Monitoring Network Programme. Additionally, the government has introduced the Freshwater Restoration and Source Water Protection Programme to safeguard water sources, including rivers, lakes, and artificial reservoirs.
The minister emphasized that access to safe water is a priority under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. The government remains committed to tackling challenges in the water sector through partnerships and innovation, recognizing the critical role of water quality in public health, socio-economic development, and environmental sustainability.
Prof. Utsev referenced the 2021 Water Supply, Sanitation, and Hygiene National Outcomes Routine Monitoring (WASHNORM) Report, which indicates that 67 percent of Nigeria’s population has access to basic water supply services. However, 25 percent still rely on unimproved or surface water sources that pose high risks of waterborne diseases. He acknowledged the ongoing issues of poor sanitation, such as open defecation and indiscriminate waste disposal, which continue to contaminate water sources.
The ministry is leveraging modern technologies and collaborating with local and international partners to improve water quality management. The government is determined to eradicate open defecation and elevate water and sanitation standards nationwide. To further enhance water quality assurance, standards for drinking water, ambient water, and irrigation water quality have been established, along with the introduction of the Community Water Safety Plan to empower rural communities in preventing water contamination.
UNICEF WASH Manager, Mr. Chiranjibi Tiwari, warned that two-thirds of Nigeria’s water sources are contaminated with E. coli and Salmonella, leading to severe waterborne diseases such as cholera. He highlighted 2021 WASHNORM data, noting 111,000 cholera cases and 3,600 deaths, with outbreaks occurring even in traditionally low-risk areas like Lagos. He stressed the importance of urgent, coordinated action to achieve SDG 6 on Universal Clean Water Access and linked safe water access to the Renewed Hope Agenda, warning that inaction would impede national progress.
The UNESCO representative, Dr. Enang Moma, cautioned about the health, food production, and economic risks posed by water pollution, exacerbated by untreated wastewater and industrial chemicals. She highlighted the potential threat to 4.8 billion people by 2030 if water monitoring does not improve and reaffirmed UNESCO’s commitment to supporting Nigeria through its Intergovernmental Hydrology Programme (IHP).
Representatives from WaterAid, the Water Correspondents Association of Nigeria, and other stakeholders delivered goodwill messages at the conference. (NAN)