President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan yesterday commissioned a N18.09 billion Phases 3 and 4 water treatment plant at Lower Usman Dam, Bwari area council.
The president said as a government the provision of portable drinking water was a priority and that government should be committed and determined to providing basic amenities.
He said: “The water treatment plant we are commissioning today marks the importance and our continued journey towards distributing water to various districts and satellite towns in the federal capital territory”
“Between 2012 and 2013, we completed 12 dams dedicated for water supply and irrigation purposes. We are pooling resources for the completion of all water projects.”
He said with the capacity of 20 liters per hour “this is some of the largest in this part of the world.”
The president commended the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) for its resolve in completing the project, saying
“the project no doubt will eradicate water borne diseases.”
Earlier, the Minister of the FCT, Senator Bala Mohammed, in his remarks, said the additional 20 million litres per hour would augment the 10 million litres per hour that was obtainable in the federal capital territory’s Lower Usman Dam.
He added that the Lower Usman Dam, completed and commissioned in 1987 with phases 1 and 2, was distributing only 10 million litres of water per hour.
He said the expansion was important to meet the water need of the teeming FCT residents.
“I am proud that the total quantity of treated water has now been increased by 200 per cent from the former 10 million litres per hour to the present 30 million per hour,” he said.
He, however, said the project which commenced in July 2005, was stalled for financial reasons, adding that the FCTA was making efforts to distribute water to places like Jahi, Jabi, Gwarimpa, Wuye and Katampe through the new water treatment plant.
