The Ogun State Government has unveiled plans to adopt advanced technology and internet-based solutions to enhance water production, distribution, and quality assurance across the state.
The initiative aims to modernize the state’s water management system, ensuring a more sustainable and efficient supply for residents.
Speaking during an assessment tour of water generation facilities in the state capital, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and Water Resources, Hon. Damilola Otubanjo, emphasized the need for automation and digital solutions to optimize processes.
“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“There is a need for us to adopt advanced technology; some of the processes are a bit outdated, so we need to look at how we can optimize and make them more efficient,” she stated.
Otubanjo further stressed the government’s commitment to quality assurance in water supply, noting that several reforms were underway to ensure sustainability.
“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 added.
As part of the transformation, the state government plans to transition its customers from flat and post-paid water billing to a prepaid system.
Otubanjo explained that this move would ensure better revenue collection and accountability while allowing consumers to pay only for the water they use.
“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. 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.
In addition, the government is considering the installation of sensors and meters to monitor water quality and production levels accurately. This would enable the state to estimate its revenue potential more effectively and address non-revenue water losses.
The Special Adviser assured residents of immediate improvements in water distribution, noting that the corporation would intensify advocacy and awareness efforts to rebuild public trust.
“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,” she affirmed.
Otubanjo also pledged that the government would enhance its response time to pipe bursts and leakages, urging the public to cooperate by reporting such issues.
“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.
The Consultant to the Governor on Water Resources, Mrs. Olufunmilayo Jaji, clarified that water production was not limited to Abeokuta alone. She highlighted key facilities across the state, including the Papa Water Works, which serves Papalanto, Ilaro, and Ifo; Ota 2, which supplies Ota; the Ijebu-Ode Yemoji scheme; and Apoje, which provides water to Ijebu-Igbo and Ago-Iwoye. She also pointed out the presence of borehole schemes in various locations.
Jaji encouraged residents to pay their water bills promptly and report burst pipes to prevent contamination of clean water supplies.
The Chairman of Workers’ Estate, Laderin, Abeokuta, Mr. Olatunji Oladapo, lauded the government for its commitment to addressing issues related to burst pipes in the estate.
He expressed optimism that the visit would contribute to a steady and uninterrupted water supply.
During the tour, the delegation visited several key water facilities, including the Oke-Temidire Water Reservoir in Abiola Way, the Ogun State Water Corporation’s old and new schemes at Arakanga, the Alamala booster station, the Car Wash booster station, the Panseke booster station, the Ibara booster station, the Abeokuta area office, and the Laderin Borehole scheme.
