Kano Govt Needs $10m To Restore Two Treatment Plants

The Kano State Government has revealed that it requires over $10 million to rehabilitate two vandalized water treatment plants—Challawa Water Works I and II—in order to restore a steady supply of potable water to residents of the State capital.

During an inspection tour of the facilities on Tuesday, the State Commissioner for Water Resources, Haruna Umar Doguwa, described the water shortage in Kano as dire, attributing it largely to years of neglect and vandalism of critical infrastructure.

Doguwa lamented the extensive damage at the Challawa Water Works, where equipment worth billions of naira, including raw water pumps, electrical facilities, and underground pipes, had been stolen. He disclosed that over five kilometers of underground pipes supplying water were dug up and carted away.

“The cost of restoring the plants is estimated at over $10 million, as many of the stolen components are specialized and must be custom-made,” he said.

“This facility, established in 1930 by the colonial government, served Kano effectively until it was vandalized under the immediate past administration.”

The commissioner added that Kano metropolis requires about 700 million cubic liters of water daily, but current supply stands at just 300 million cubic liters, creating acute shortages across the city.

He also alleged that some individuals had falsely claimed ownership of the waterworks, further complicating efforts to restore operations.

Providing technical details, the Managing Director of the Kano State Water Board, Engr. Garba Ahmed, noted that the Challawa plant—also known as the first waterworks—was built between 1927 and 1930 with a capacity of 20 million liters per day.

It had provided water to major parts of Kano including Dorayi, Kabuga, Kofar Fanfo, Jan Bulo, Rijiyar Zaki, BUK New Site, and the Janguza Army Barracks until it ceased operations in 2016.

“When we assumed office in 2023, we found the facility completely looted. All machinery, armored cables, and intake infrastructure were destroyed and stolen,” Ahmed said.

Despite planned repairs at Challawa and other plants like Tamburawa and the Second and Third Water Works, Doguwa said only 500 million cubic liters of water would be generated daily—still 200 million short of what Kano needs.

He emphasized that new water sources must be developed to bridge the gap.