By Obinwa Chikaodili
The Anambra State Urban Water Assets Holding Corporation (ASUWAHC) has on August 13, intensified efforts to expand access to potable water in Onitsha metropolis following an inspection of newly completed reticulation networks and public water fetching points across parts of the city.
The inspection, led by the Zonal Head of ASUWAHC Onitsha Zone, Engr. Francis Udoh, and his technical team, was carried out under the leadership of the Corporation’s Officer-in-Charge, Mrs. Emmanuella N. Okafor, as part of ongoing efforts to expand water infrastructure and improve access to potable water across Anambra State.
The newly completed facilities were executed by Birsa Water Ltd and facilitated by Distinguished Sen. Stella Oduah through her constituency intervention projects. The field exercise was undertaken to ascertain the quality and functionality of the newly laid reticulation lines and public fetching points, as well as determine their readiness for integration into the existing water distribution system.
The inspection team visited Bent Lane Road; Egerton by Nsugbe Park Road; Vane Road South by Okwe; Nwangene Street; Modebe by Iweka; Okagbuagba by Woliwo Road; Oguta Road; and Tasia by Mba by Arima, where the technical team assessed the pipe-laying works, construction of fetching points, tap functionality, drainage systems and accessibility to surrounding residential communities.
Speaking during the exercise, Engr. Udoh said the inspection was necessary to ensure that the completed infrastructure met the corporation’s operational requirements before being fully integrated into the water supply network. The Zonal Head commended Sen. Stella Oduah for supporting an intervention that would directly improve access to potable water for residents, noting that the project complemented the state government’s broader efforts to strengthen water infrastructure and improve service delivery across Anambra.
He also acknowledged the work of Birsa Water Ltd, stressing the need for contractors handling water infrastructure to maintain quality standards and deliver projects that would provide sustainable benefits to the communities they were designed to serve. According to him, the newly provided fetching points were strategically located in areas with significant residential populations, thereby bringing water supply closer to the people and reducing the burden associated with travelling long distances in search of potable water.
The technical team was subsequently directed to commence pressure testing and flushing of the newly laid lines, sensitise residents on the proper use and protection of the public fetching points, and incorporate the new infrastructure into the Onitsha Zone’s routine monitoring and maintenance schedule.
The inspection also provided an opportunity for the team to interact with residents around some of the project locations. Community members who witnessed the exercise expressed appreciation for the intervention, describing the additional water infrastructure as a welcome development that could help ease the challenges associated with inadequate access to potable water.
The successful completion of the reticulation extensions marks another step towards expanding the reach of public water infrastructure in Onitsha and ensuring that more communities are connected to reliable sources of potable water.
With the inspection successfully completed, ASUWAHC is set to commence the final technical processes required to put the facilities into operation. The development is expected to bring potable water closer to residents in the benefiting communities, ease the challenges of accessing water, and further expand the reach of reliable water supply across parts of Onitsha.
Obinwa Chikaodili is of the Ministry of Information and Value Reformation, Anambra State
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