TheCable

Babatunde Adejare, Lagos state commissioner for the environment, said on Monday that residents of the state would henceforth pay for sinking commercial boreholes.

Speaking in an interview with NAN in Lagos, Adejare said Lagosians are to obtain registration permit for their boreholes on “minimal charges”.

According to the commissioner, consumption of a minimum of 50 drums per day qualifies as commercial usage of borehole.

Adejare said no individual or household could use 50 drums of water in a day, except for commercial purposes.

He also said the government would take an inventory of all boreholes in the state to trace sources of pollution of underground water.

According to him, the development is an effort by the state government to minimise underground water pollution and curtail water-borne diseases.

He noted that boreholes were windows into the aquifer.

“Water is a resource that ought to be protected,” he said.

“This is why the government recognises the need to minimise the pollution of the underground water by controlling indiscriminate sinking of boreholes, which is a factor contributing to the pollution.

“No responsible government would fold its arms and allow uncontrolled pollution of underground water through indiscriminate sinking of boreholes.

“By controlling sinking of boreholes, we would have done a lot to curtail the outbreak of water borne diseases.”

Adejare, however, urged that obtaining the permit should not be misconstrued that the government was against sinking of boreholes and charging for borehole water, adding that the state government would not prevent people from having access to good and potable water.

“The essence of obtaining permit is to create a database of boreholes and ascertain the quality of water being consumed by Lagosians.”

“The government has not introduced charges for consumption of water from boreholes neither has it criminalised the sinking of boreholes.”

Adejare said the government would apply charges as a measure of control for commercial users of boreholes.

The state government through Steve Ayorinde, commissioner for information and strategy, had denied allegations that it had plans to demand levies for bore holes dug for domestic purpose, insisting that its new environmental law is in the interest of all.