IMO STATE WATER AND SEWERAGE CORPORATION

IMO STATE PUBLIC ENLIGHTENMENT ON IMO STATE WATER AND SEWERAGE CORPORATION

Engr. Emeka Ugoanyanwu, M.D/CEO Of Imo State Water And Sewerage Corporation Interacts With Prince Eze Ugochukwu, Special Adviser, Public Enlightenment.

Exerpts Below: 

QUESTION: What is working and what is not working with the Otamiri water supply for Owerri urban.

ANS: Water Production & Water treatment facilities at the Otamiri Water works have fully rehabilitated. The new Physiochemical and Bacteriological laboratory now meets international standards with new equipment supplied and installed. The automatic chemical dosing systems have been restored after more than 12 years procurement & installation of new dosing pumps including alum/lime recycling pumps completed 

Major challenge now is pipe network to ensure safe water gets to every home in the capital territory. 

Currently parts of Aladinma, ikenegbu, Onitsha road including Holy ghost College, parts  of World Bank housing etc gets water.

Massive Construction/rehabilitation is ongoing to restore Water supply to Orlu Urban, Okigwe Urban & Ekenguru town after more than 12 years. Parts of these towns are already enjoying water supply. 

QUESTION: What is the level of involvement of Development partners, and who are these parters.

ANS: We are in partnership with the FGN/World Bank and the USAID funded Ewash program. His Excellency in December 2020 signed an MOU with USAID and paid the necessary counterpart fund for World Bank/FGN partnership

QUESTION:  Have you carried out needs assessment to know which areas in Owerri need water the most to enable you concentrate in those areas.

ANS: Needs assessment, baseline studies and tariff studies was completed last year and for the first time since creation of Imo State a Water Supply Investment & Masterplan have been developed by the Imo State Water & Sewerage Corporation. Imo State today have a Water Policy and Water Sanitation & Hygiene *WASH*  law 

The need assessment & tariff  studies covered the entire state while customer Enumeration was carried out in Owerri, Orlu, Okigwe and Ekenguru.

QUESTION: The use of water by residents will not be free. What modern applications will you introduce to determine charges.

ANS: Yes the use of water will not be free especially in urban cities as the Imo State Water & Sewerage Corporation is expected to recover operational costs and pay staff salaries in line with the ongoing reform and full Corporatization of the Corporation. That\’s why a tariff studies was conducted. The Corporation will meter customers.

QUESTION: With the operation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA), how will water consumers pay their charges.

ANSWER: On the issue of TSA the Corporation ultimately will engage the Internal Revenue Service and work how in line with best practices and what\’s obtainable in the WASH sector internationally. 

The Corporation has taken delivery of several units of POS machines in preparation for the take off of full Corporatization after some Major Urban Water works are restored to at least 50% operation and customer service delivery.

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