“The ubiquitous drilling and digging of the ground soil for water may weaken the soil surface with an enhanced porosity. With such vulnerability and lesser cohesion, the ephemeral soil might trigger erosion. These erosion gullies are already prevalent in Anambra State and southeastern Nigeria; therefore further drilling of water boreholes may thicken the situation,” laments Emeka Chiakwelu, a Principal Policy Strategist at Africa Political and Economic Strategic Centre, Afripol.
Experts in the water sector have raised concerns on the indiscriminate drilling of boreholes and the dangers it poses to humans and the environment. The consequences of drinking contaminated and polluted water in Nigeria comes with a terrible and devastating cost. The damage caused by drinking water infected with parasites are enormous.
According to reports, drinking infected water is major contributor to the abysmal high infant mortality rate in Africa and Nigeria in particular.
In a bid to check this practice, the Minister of Water Resources, Sarah Ochekpe recently raised alarm on the danger of indiscriminate drilling of boreholes in the country and the likely effect it could have on the environment if this practice goes unchecked.
She made this observation while receiving in audience members of the Association of Water Well Drilling Ring Owner and Practitioners in Abuja. Ochekpe said the indiscriminate drilling of borehole may result in over abstraction of ground water which affects land subsidence, salt intrusion, aquifer depletion and water quality degradation amongst other environmental hazards.
“The need for proper and effective regulation of groundwater abstraction is of utmost importance. The public need to be sensitised on this. Presently, progress has so far been made in the development of framework for water use regulations, which is being finalised by the ministry.”
She further explained that construction of boreholes indiscriminately is capable of causing earth tremor, adding that underground water are linked, and if there is contamination in one borehole, it will contaminate other boreholes within the area with devastating effect on human health.
Ochekpe said that the Government agrees that public water supply needs to be improved upon, even though budgetary provision is not enough to put in place all the necessary infrastructure to provide potable water, she however assured that government has initiated discussion with States and Local Governments to ensure adequate water supply to the citizens.
The minister added that the federal government through the National Water Resources Institute, NIWR Kaduna has developed a code of practice for borehole drillers to ensure that the sector is adequately controlled and the environment is protected.
Ochekpe therefore called for close interaction between the ministry and the association to ensure borehole drillers in the country observe the standardise code of practice being put in place by government to check the indiscriminate drilling of bore holes. She advised the association to avail itself of the National Water Resources Institute, Kaduna for the capacity building of its members.
She disclosed that federal government is also opening up the sector to promote Public-Private partnership and discussions are being strengthened with Donor Agencies. It is expected that all efforts will attract additional funding to the sector, thereby fast tracking adequate access to water.
“The federal government through the National Water Resources Institute, NIWR Kaduna has developed a code of practice for boreholes drillers to ensure that the sector is adequately controlled and the environment is protected”.
The minister therefore called for close interaction between the ministry and the association to ensure borehole drillers in the country observe the standardize code of practice being put in place by government to check the indiscriminate drilling of bore holes. She advised the association to avail itself of the National Water Resources Institute, Kaduna for the capacity building of its members.
The president of the association, Mr Michael Ale Dare requested for close collaboration with the ministry in building the capacity of its member to further improve their skills. He said if capacity of his members is improved it could lead to creation of more jobs thus reducing the current unemployment situation.
In a related development, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, UNESCO documented that, “Water-related diseases are among the most common causes of illness and death, affecting mainly the poor in developing countries. They kill more than five million people every year, more than ten times the number killed in wars. The diseases can be divided into four categories: water-borne, water-based, water-related, and water-scarce diseases.
Waterborne diseases have causative agents and are caused by pathogenic micro-organisms which are directly transmitted when contaminated fresh water is consumed. Contaminated fresh water, used in the preparation of food, can be the source of food borne disease through consumption of the same microorganisms.”
According to the World Health Organisation, diarrheal disease accounts for an estimated 4.1% of the total global burden of disease and is responsible for the deaths of 1.8 million people every year. It was estimated that 88% of that burden is attributable to unsafe water supply, sanitation and hygiene and is mostly concentrated in children in developing countries. Waterborne disease can be caused by protozoa, viruses, or bacteria, many of which are intestinal parasites.
Reports from United Nations Humanitarian Information Unit say, Guinea worm and River blindness are endemic water-borne diseases in certain parts of Nigeria.
United Nation’s Children Funds, UNICEF has decided to emphasize water and environmental sanitation after realising that the occurrence of diarrhea, a major childhood killer in Nigeria could decline by 15% if water quality is improved upon.
“Most of these boreholes are exposed to underground pathogens and pollutants especially E-coli that is responsible for stomach upset that comes with diarrhea and massive lose of fluids. In the undergrounds the water might also be exposed to the natural radioactive nuclides and nature's occurring hazardous metals; As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sn, and Tl.
These heavy metals as they are called are toxic with carcinogenic properties. Therefore it is highly recommended that water from the boreholes is sampled for laboratory analysis and bio-chemical analytical before consumption.
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