Lekki residents using boreholes may be drinking ‘shit water’ – Lagos govt

The Lagos State government has raised alarm over the quality of water consumed by residents in the Lekki area, warning that those relying on boreholes may be unknowingly drinking contaminated water.

Mahmood Adegbite, Permanent Secretary in the Office of Drainage Services and Water Resources, issued the warning during a recent stakeholders’ meeting.

Adegbite explained that untreated wastewater could be infiltrating underground water sources in the area, posing significant health risks to the public.

“On wastewater treatment, I will say that everyone digging borehole within the Lekki axis is probably drinking what I will call ‘shit water,’” he said.

He added that the state government has plans to address the issue by treating all wastewater in the Lekki axis to eliminate potential health threats.

“If we are able to treat all the wastewater within this axis, we should be able to eradicate any form of disease that might result from non-treatment,” Adegbite noted.

Addressing concerns about persistent flooding, he acknowledged that despite substantial investment in drainage infrastructure, more still needs to be done. He attributed the recent heavy rainfall during what is typically the August break to evolving environmental challenges.

“Yesterday, it rained heavily, which is unusual because this is supposed to be August break. However, we started having it because of a lot of complex issues. Despite the fact that we have committed so much, we still need a lot to do in that space,” he said.