The Lagos State Government has issued a strong warning to residents drilling boreholes in Lekki, saying the water drawn from those sources is likely contaminated with human waste.
The Permanent Secretary, Office of Drainage Services and Water Resources, Mahmood Adegbite, made this known during a recent stakeholders meeting held in the state.
He raised concerns over untreated wastewater in the Lekki axis, describing it as a major public health risk.
“On waste water treatment, I will say that everyone digging borehole within the Lekki axis is probably drinking what I will call ‘shit water,’” Adegbite said.
According to him, plans are underway to treat wastewater in the area, which he said will help reduce disease outbreaks linked to contamination.
“If we are able to treat all the waste water within this axis — which we have plans for — we should be able to also eradicate any form of disease that might result as a result of non-treatment of our waste,” he added.
Adegbite also addressed the ongoing challenges with flooding in the state. He noted that despite government investments in drainage and flood control, more work remains to be done.
“Yesterday, it rained heavily which is unusual because this is supposed to be August break. However, we started having it because of a lot of complex issues,” he said.
He admitted that while efforts have been made to mitigate flooding, Lagos still faces serious challenges, particularly in low-lying and poorly drained areas.
