The Rivers State Government has said it would send monitoring teams to the field and publish names of substandard water producers in the state to protect residents from unsafe drinking water.
The State Commissioner for Water Resources and Rural Development, Dr Tamunosisi Gogo-Jaja, made this known while speaking with journalists in Port Harcourt on Sunday.
The commissioner said staff of the ministry had been trained on how to regulate and monitor water producers to protect the rights of consumers in the state.
He urged residents to be aware of the water they drink and report all those involved in the illegal water production.
“As from this year, 2022, we are going to send them (staff) into the field. They are going to visit factories, monitor the quality of water people are being served with.
“We have to bring in professionals as well as to have in-house training, which we did. We have upgraded and refreshed their knowledge, and we are equipped.
“You are aware, for the communities, we have given water, we have discussed with the council chairmen to continue to assist in the discharge of portable water to them.
“By the special grace of God, His Excellency, the governor, will take another phase of it gradually before the expiration of the tenure. Work is ongoing in the Port Harcourt water project.”
Gogo-Jaja noted that the ministry would stop water from neighbouring states that fail to meet the required standard for consumption.
“We are also using this opportunity to inform water producers that any person who produces substandard quality will not sell anywhere in Rivers State.
“Those whose factories or wells are not sited in Rivers State as well may not have the opportunity of sending them into our markets. Having completed this training, we are going to release the result of samples taken from water producers to the people of the state.
“We are going to mention the names of factories that have been certified. It will now be left with consumers to make a choice.”
