Plans are in top gear by the Ogun State Government to leverage the use of technology and the Internet to produce, distribute, and generate clean, quality water for residents.
The Special Adviser to the Ogun State Governor on SDG and Water Resources, Hon. Damilola Otubanjo, made this known during an assessment tour of water generation facilities in the state capital.
Otubanjo also said that the state government will continue to pay a lot of attention to quality assurance, adding that there are several plans by the government to ensure that the water corporation isn’t just producing water but producing it sustainably.
“We need to have the process flow to make things more automated, and we need to explore the Internet to see how we can leverage technology to make our processes more efficient.
“There is a need for us to adopt advanced technology; some of the processes are a bit outdated, so we need to look at how we can optimize and make them more efficient.
“There are a lot of challenges; clearly, there are many areas in the space of maintenance. We need to pay a lot of attention to quality assurance because during my tour, I engaged with the team to understand the quality processes and the testing that they have to conduct,” she said.
The Special Adviser also noted that the state government is planning to convert its several customers across the state who are still on flat and post-paid rates to pre-paid rates, saying that the conversion would help the corporation and the state government gain significant value from the water they are producing.
Otubanjo further said that the state water corporation has a high level of non-revenue water due to the lack of appetite from customers who are not paying because they don’t receive the water they need.
She added that the state government would look at the possibility of installing sensors and meters to measure the quality and quantity of water that is being produced in order to properly estimate what its revenue should look like.
“There is also the issue of metering. We need to convert our customers who are on flat rates and post-paid plans to pre-paid plans. That way, we can gain significant value from the water we are producing.
“So, when we install pre-paid meters, it means you only pay for what you consume. They won’t suffer any sense of loss because they only pay for what they consume, so we need to make our system more efficient,” she said.
The Special Adviser assured the people of the state of immediate improvement in the distribution of water, also affirming that the corporation would do a lot in terms of advocacy and awareness.
Otubanjo also stated that the corporation’s response to bursts and leakages of its pipes across the state would be optimal, urging members of the public to be collaborators in progress.
“I can assure the people of the state that they will see improved water service. Largely, there is a need for us to create a lot of awareness. To reinstate the confidence and trust of the people back in the Ogun State Water Corporation, we need to do a lot in terms of advocacy and awareness. We need to be accessible, reachable, and we need to communicate.
“Our response to bursts and leakages must be optimal. Within 24 hours, we should be able to respond, and I want to call on the members of the public to be collaborators in progress.
“We have our toll-free line (07080601161) that they should reach out to us on to report issues, and I promise that we will respond promptly,” she added.
On her part, the Consultant to the Governor on Water Resources, Mrs. Olufunmilayo Jaji, noted that water production is not limited to Abeokuta alone, adding that the state has Papa Water Works that supplies Papalanto, Ilaro, and Ifo, Ota 2 that supplies Ota, the Ijebu-Ode Yemoji scheme, and Apoje that supplies water to Ijebu-Igbo and Ago-Iwoye, as well as borehole schemes across the state.
Jaji urged the people of the state to pay their water bills on time, even as she tasked them to report timely information on burst water pipes to prevent contamination of clean water supply.
The Chairman of Workers’ Estate, Laderin, Abeokuta, Mr. Olatunji Oladapo, commended the state government for showing a willingness to put an end to the issues of burst pipes in the estate, adding that the visit would go a long way in ensuring that the estate continues to enjoy uninterrupted water supply.
Some of the areas visited include Oke-Temidire Water Reservoir in Abiola Way, Ogun State Water Corporation (old and new schemes) at Arakanga, Alamala booster station, Car Wash booster station, Panseke booster station, Ibara booster station, Abeokuta area office, and the Laderin Borehole scheme.
