The Federal Capital Territory Water Board reported a revenue growth of N3.1 billion from January to November 2023.
Mr. Daniel Salka, the acting Managing Director (MD) of the Board, made this announcement during the end-of-the-year media briefing in Abuja on Thursday.
Salka pointed out that the figure exceeded the N2.5 billion generated in 2022.
He mentioned that the Board’s monthly Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) has grown from approximately N200 million to surpassing N300 million.
He described the FCT Water Board as one of the “key” revenue-generating agencies of the FCT Administration.
He broke down the revenue structure, indicating that the predominant share, roughly 95%, was generated through the sale of water.
The acting MD stated that revenues were also generated from lifting points, water connections, water analysis, tender fees for procurement, and prepaid meters.
He also said that the Board had been able to reduce non-revenue water.
He described non-revenue water as water lost to either leakage on the pipes, illegal connections, or faulty meters among others, which do not bring revenue to the Board.
Task Force team on Revenue Drive and Illegal Connections
Speaking further, he said the feat was made possible by the Task Force team on Revenue Drive and Illegal Connections.
According to him, the team uncovered numerous illicit connections and either disconnected or regularized them. Additionally, those neglecting water bill payments were compelled to settle their dues to prevent disconnection.
Addressing the surge in the FCT population, the acting MD highlighted the Board’s accomplishment in consistently providing enhanced water supply to city dwellers.
- “Currently, we supply 13,00O cubic meters of water per hour, amounting to 312,000 cubic meters per day. This is, however, not enough due to the Inability of the facilities to convey more.
- “Our Water Treatment Plants 1 and 2 can produce 5,000 cubic meters of water per hour, while plants 3 and 4 produce 10,000 cubic meters each per hour.
- “On the whole, the four plants have the capacity of producing 30,000 cubic meters per hour for distribution to customers across the areas covered by the water distribution lines in Phases I, II, and III.
- “However, Phases III and IV of the Plants are mainly meant to service reservoir Tanks 1 and 6 but have been under reconstruction for a while now.
- “Similarly, it is important to mention that Plant 2 is also undergoing renovation and therefore, not functioning now,” he said.
More Insights
Subsequently, He pointed out several challenges impacting the Board’s performance, including insufficient infrastructure, population growth, and the absence of an effective metering system.
He, nonetheless, expressed optimism for improved service in 2024.
He mentioned that, in 2024, there will be a concerted effort to enhance service delivery by focusing on improved community engagements and increasing public awareness. The emphasis will be on educating the public about the importance of paying for water services and ensuring the protection of water infrastructure.
- “We will further reduce non-revenue water and enhance stakeholders’ collaboration with government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and international organizations.
- “This will enable us to leverage expertise, and resources, and support water management initiatives.
- “Also, the Greater Abuja Water Works, if completed, will bring succor to FCT residents as access to water will be increased,” he added.
