Lagos Closes Down 100 Table Water Factories

The Lagos state government on Tuesday stated it has closed over 100 table water factories across the state for producing and distributing substandard drinkable water in the state.

The government added that no fewer than 200 houses in the state have been sanctioned for discharging their sewage and wastewater into public drains.

Speaking at the 2017 World Water Day with the theme, ‘Wastewater,’ the Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission, Kabir Abdullahi, said the state would make sure that every manufacturer of water-related products comply with safety standards.

Abdullahi said, “We have prosecuted about 16 of them this year. The offenders got various fines and sentences. We have inspected over 800 firms to ensure that the water produced in the state is safe for consumption.”

Kabir explained that many years of lack of monitoring has exposed the water sector to a lot of abuses, adding that adequate attention would be given to the sector for the safety of the residents.

The coordinator of the Lagos State Wastewater Management, Adeniyi Abdul, said many houses in the state are guilty of arbitrarily discharging wastewater into public drainage channels, adding that several of them were sanctioned while others were prosecuted.

“Abatement notices served this month alone is over 200. If they refuse to comply, they will be taken to court,” he added.