Relief may finally be in sight for residents of Imo State, as the government launches a large-scale initiative to restore potable water across the state. For years, many communities had endured long stretches without a reliable supply of clean water.
Getting clean water in the state once meant long, grueling walks for residents, often with no assurance of finding any. According to accounts from the communities, that reality is now gradually changing.
Ongoing rehabilitation of water schemes by the state government across several communities is bringing relief. Taps that once ran dry now supply water to homes, easing a problem that had persisted for a long time.
In some communities, the works include more than one borehole, with a spare kept in reserve so that supply can continue uninterrupted if one develops a problem. The installations use six-inch and four-inch PVC pipes described as able to withstand high pressure.
To strengthen the system further, new tanks are being constructed to boost capacity. The aim is to ensure there is enough water for each community as supply runs along the pipelines.
Residents say the intervention is already improving daily living conditions. The impact is also visible at Imo State University, where students in hostels and surrounding areas now enjoy an improved water supply.
Students describe the change as a major boost to their well-being, noting that they no longer face the stress of going out to fetch water and sometimes returning empty-handed. The same applies in Owerri North and nearby communities, where rehabilitated facilities have eased the perennial water scarcity.