Nigeria: Despite Water Scarcity in FCT, Burst Pipe Yet to Be Repaired
A substantial amount of water intended for communities across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is being wasted through a broken trunk pipeline in Kubwa.
Abuja Metro reports that Kubwa is one of the few locations hosting the FCT Water Board’s storage facilities, which are used to distribute water to various districts under its coverage.
The affected pipe, which supplies water to the Abuja Airport, Jiwa, Gwagwa, and Gwagwalada, has reportedly been leaking for over three years.
This constant leak has significantly reduced the volume of water reaching these areas.
A visit by Abuja Metro to the site in the Gbazango-pipeline area revealed that the leak has caused gully erosion and sustained ground vibrations whenever water is pumped through the line.
A source within the FCT Water Board explained that approximately 60 percent of the water supplied to the Kubwa storage tanks is lost through this broken 1200mm pipe.
This waste occurs while many FCT residents face acute water shortages–a crisis the board has blamed on low raw water levels at the Usuma Dam.
Residents recount experiences with vibration and sinking ground
Kayode Ayodeji, a resident of the Gbazango-pipeline area, noted that his neighborhood has been cut off from regular supply for two months due to the ongoing water crisis.
He described the leak as a bittersweet “blessing” for locals, who now fetch the wasted water for washing, bathing, and flushing toilets.
Despite having a registered meter and paying monthly bills, Ayodeji lamented the lack of direct supply to his home.
“We use the water we fetch from the burst pipeline for domestic chores, but we have to buy drinking water from vendors,” he stated.
Another resident, David Habala, expressed frustration at the scale of the waste.
“Watching the amount of water wasted every second is annoying, especially when people in this area have lacked a steady supply for so long. I wonder why the FCT Water Board is busy distributing bills and connecting new houses but cannot address this leak,” he said.
Faruk Momoh, a tenant whose house frontage is partially submerged by the leak, said the pipe was already leaking when he moved in three years ago, though the volume has since increased.
“The hole is expanding and the pipe is now exposed. When I first arrived, I reported it to the Water Board office in Kubwa. Officials came and took photos, but no action followed. I returned to lodge the same complaint, and they told me they were working on it. Nothing has been done since,” Momoh said.
He added that the vibrations from the pipe are “scary” and fears the area could sink further during the rainy season.
Expert links leak to construction lapses
An FCT Water Board engineer attributed the failure to the original installation of the Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) pipe.
He blamed the construction company for failing to properly excavate the rock at the site and failing to provide an adequate sand bed before laying the pipe.
“Over time, the vibration caused the pipe to settle against the rock. This led to cracks and the subsequent leak,” the engineer explained.
He noted that maintaining GRP pipes requires a different technical approach than the pipes typically used by the Board.
He further revealed that an attempt was made to repair the pipe in the past, but the project was never approved. He described the current situation as a massive “head loss” in the system, which prevents water pressure from reaching distant communities.
Efforts to obtain an official reaction from the FCT Water Board on the broken pipeline were unsuccessful.
However, a senior official confirmed that a repair of this magnitude must be handled by the Engineering Department of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), which posseses the necessary heavy machinery.
“We have written to them and are following up. But as you know in the civil service, a file must move from one office to another before final approval is granted,” the source said.
By Daily Trust.
