LSWRC Intensifies Inspection Of Water Plants, Boreholes , As LASG Enforcement Taskforce Attacked By Hotel Security

The Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission (LSWRC), on Wednesday, assured residents that no stone would be left unturned towards ensuring that water producers and operators in the water abstraction industry comply with regulatory standards and procedures designed to protect consumers from unhygienic water.

Executive Secretary, LSWRC, Mrs. Funke Adepoju, who disclosed this during an inspection tour of the water plants and boreholes of the Ikeja City Mall (ICM), said the State Government has strengthened its resolve to ensure high-quality service to residents by players in the sector.

Adepoju, represented during the inspection exercise by an Assistant Director in charge of the Engineering Department, LSWRC, Engr. Adefemi Afolabi, said the assessment visitation was in line with the regulatory mandate of the Commission to look at the water source of any facility and ascertain the quality that is being supplied to the public.

In her words, “This is one of the routine visits that we conduct and we have also come here to inspect the boreholes through which water is supplied to the public. Though, they have a main supply of water from the public source which is Lagos Water Corporation, additionally, they also use drilled boreholes to augment what they provide to the public”.

“So, we have come to see the integrity of the boreholes; they have also requested for additional boreholes to be dug here and so that is why we are here. We have gone to see their water treatment plant and the next line of action is to test the quality of water that is being supplied to the public here and we are going to certify this plant thereafter”, she added.

Adepoju declared that the result of the laboratory test of the samples that would be taken from the facility will determine whether ICM is actually supplying quality water to the public in line with the Lagos State Government’s regulations and standards.

Also speaking, Assistant Director, Monitoring and Compliance, LSWRC, Mr. Idowu Olowu said the inspection tour was all about ensuring that there is no infraction by operators, just as he cautioned them against abuse of chemicals for treatment of water.

“What we have found out is that the quality of the water, in most plants, does not really match the standard of treatment plants put in place and that is basically what we are after now. When you are treating the water, you must know the particular thing you are treating there and so we are playing an advisory role so that operators don’t just endanger people with chemicals and that is what we have been doing all over the State,” Olowu said.

Responding, the Facility Administrator of Ikeja City Mall, Oluwatobi Ajayi commended the LSWRC officials for doing a good job, saying as operators, they are always ready to cooperate with the government to ensure compliance with the regulatory standards.

“The officials of the LSWRC are doing a fantastic job in ensuring the operators are in compliance with the standards for treated water. As operators, we are making sure that we cooperate with them to give the necessary documents and take them through our own compliance procedures as well as give a free hand to do their job”, she said.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Safety Commission COVID-19 Enforcement Taskforce team, was on Sunday attacked and shot at during an enforcement exercise at Osigold Hotels & Bar in Baruwa Ipaja, Lagos.

Speaking on the incident, the Director-General of the Commission, Mr. Lanre Mojola, disclosed that the Hotel had over 100 people clubbing and dancing within the premises when the team visited, thereby flouting the State government’s directive and contravening the infectious disease Law of the State.

The DG said, “In our attempt to enforce compliance of the State government’s order against large public gatherings at the Osigold Hotels & Bar in Baruwa Ipaja, Lagos, on Sunday, the security staff attacked and shot at our team”.

He, however, maintained that despite the attack and opposition by the management of the hotel, it was eventually sealed alongside other social and religious centres for non-compliance with the government’s directive on large social and religious gatherings.

“Some of the facilities sealed by the Commission for infractions during the enforcement exercise carried out over the weekend included the Harvest Lagos, Bay Lounge, Heaven’s Suites, Angle Villa Bar, Ehi Guest House as well as Gardens and Mountain Top Hotels & Suites amongst others”, Mojola revealed.

While warning other facilities in the State that the Commission would continue to shut down erring business premises, Mojola appealed to citizens to fully comply with safety directives in order to complement efforts of the present administration to curb the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic.

The Director-General also enjoined business owners to register their businesses via lasgsafetyreg.com in line with the ‘Register to Open’ policy of the government and in preparation for the time such businesses will be permitted to open by the State government.