The Lagos State Government through the Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission (LASWARCO) has pledged to intensify the proper regulation of the charges and water quality of commercial water and wastewater service providers in various estates across the state.
This is as the state government has moved to ensure that utility service providers in estates with over 50 apartments across the state deliver value for money, comply with standards and guidelines, and others.
The assurance was given by the Executive Secretary of LASWARCO, Mrs. Funke Adepoju, during a stakeholders’ engagement held at the Commission’s office in Alausa, Ikeja, with the Lekki Estates Residents and Stakeholders Association (LERSA), which is the umbrella body for over 120 Lekki Estates, Communities and Stakeholders from 1004 Area to Epe and Ibeju Lekki.
The major functions of LASWARCO
Adepoju said that in order to perform its functions and exercise its powers, Section 311, Subsection 1 of the Harmonised Lagos State Environmental Management Protection Law, 2017, empowers LASWARCO to protect the long-term interests of consumers with regards to price, quality, and reliability of services in the water sector.
She said that the commission is also statutorily empowered to regulate activities relating to abstraction, provision, consumption, production, supply, distribution, sale and use of water, the quality of service, and the tariff payable to ensure the financial stability of the water sector and regulate allowable returns to the operators, be it public or private water service provision.
Adepoju said, “In line with its mandate, therefore, all required efforts will be channeled in line with the provision of the law to ensure that utility service providers in estates of more than 50 tenements across the State deliver value for money, comply with standards and guidelines, including having the prescribed license and permit, to operate as water service providers.’’
LASWARCO to ensure that water consumers are not unfairly charged
- The LASWARCO boss added that the commission is also empowered to ensure the viability of the sector, as well as have the mandate to ensure that consumers are not subjected to unfair charges by all operators of water and wastewater services.
- Adepoju said that the engagement with Lekki residents and stakeholders is one of the series that will take place, as it had become necessary to sensitize the consumers of water in estates across Lagos of their basic rights and responsibilities and that of the service providers and government.
- The commission also states the obligations of all concerned in the scheme of delivery of effective water supply and sanitation services as well as the laid out mechanism for complaints and redress with the Commission.
