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"PUMP": THE TALE OF A WATER SOURCE |
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Access to clean and good drinking water is a challenge for the Umu Opu village of Akpugoeze in Oji River local government area of Enugu state. The ones they have are natural sources of water which is sometimes too far from home and/or isn't big enough to serve the community.
Now, the community has a source of water popularly called "pump" by locals where the villagers come and fetch their water for all purposes but drinking. It's a government project. The way pump runs is that when you get to the site, the water surges out of from deep via a round pipe that stretches down. People now place their gallons close by and then use their palms to channel the water into their gallon or more preferably, use what the locals popularly call a "host" to suck the water towards the direction of your container. People prefer the latter step. I am sure that when the government,through the MDG-CGS partnership,brought this water project to the community, they must have been glad with what the future held for them. Yes, I remember visiting that site one yuletide some years ago and the water was so harnessed and channeled that it was easier for people to fetch their water. It was rebuilt in a borehole format such that people can come and just fetch water in front of the water house where they provided up to ten water pumps to cater for the water needs of the people. The operators first fill the huge overhead tank and then start distribution from there. The water house was then fenced with a generator installed. It was a great development. People were happy with the ease it offered. But then, people were disappointed when this new ease of life failed to last. It didn't even last up to a year and the villagers reverted to the old way of fetching from that pump. Something had gone wrong with the pipe that channeled the water from the point of generation to the extended taps outside the water house. I visited the site again this year, and it was the same old process. The only positive being that a drainage channel has been constructed to channel the water properly to it's destination.I was impressed with that but I wondered if that had in any way affected the frogs that used to inhabit that area as they normally make there cackling sound especially at night but I visited on a particular night and I don't remember hearing the frogs. Something that used to be a certainty. Perhaps, the newly constructed drainage has taken them down to another habitat. But then, with people still dependent on the water, something must be done to make it more convenient for fetching. With elections coming up this February all over Nigeria I am hopeful that the Umu Opu community will get to boast of this water source. They once did, they can again.
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6 Comments
I feel sad for the people of Umu Opu village of Akpugoeze in Enugu state. Just for water they have to struggle so much.
I hope & pray that elections will solve this impasse.
Posted 31-01-2015 21:11
Thanks for voicing your concerns here Udeh.
Posted 17-01-2015 21:29
Hello Ambassador Udeh!
Thanks for coming up with this concerning report!
I wish you all the very best for all your endeavors and upcoming elections.
Hoping for a government who would pay much priority and importance on environmental issues.
Best wishes for successful elections in your lovely country,
Regards from,
Indian Ambassador
:)
Posted 17-01-2015 16:56
Dear Udeh thank you for sharing this article and your concern towards water resource. Water is fundamental basis of life and so sad to know the miserable and troublesome condition to fetch the water by local people. Hope as you stated the election brings some strategy for the convenience of people :)
Posted 17-01-2015 11:18
Thanks for sharing the concern here. It's really sad that residents have to go through such cumbersome process to fetch water which is the basic necessity of life and should be available conveniently. Pictures clearly demonstrate the pain people go through .Let's hope that government takes it on priority and makes better alternative for water availability.
Posted 16-01-2015 16:35
Thank you for the wonderful report, Udeh! It's really vivid and interesting. Fetching water takes a huge trunk of time. Many people spend their precious time just for fetching water and it is not right thing. As you mentioned, the upcoming election can be a good chance to change the pump. I hope the pump get fixed at soonest and many people get their precious time back.
Posted 16-01-2015 11:29