In Oke-Popo, a densely populated community on Lagos Island, access to clean water has become a daily struggle and an unaffordable necessity for many residents. AYOOLA OLASUPO reports that families rely on costly water vendors and irregular borehole sources, many of which yield salty and unsafe water.
In the heart of Lagos Island, where the streets rarely sleep, residents of the Oke-Popo community now wake each day to the uncertainty of where their next bucket of water will come from.
From different corners of the community on a Wednesday afternoon, men in singlets, women in wrappers, and children carrying heavy kegs and buckets filled the streets in search of water.
Within minutes, a queue formed at a place where one of their routine water supplier
For many households, access to clean water is not guaranteed. There are no functional boreholes, piped water is virtually absent, and the few boreholes available often yield salty, unsafe water unsuitable for drinking or cooking.
Muhammed Ishola, one of the residents, stood in front of his two-storey residence negotiating the price of jerry cans filled with water, his frustration evident.
“The challenge we are facing here is water. Although there are many boreholes, we rarely get water from them,” he lamented.
Ishola described the situation as a long-standing problem affecting all households in the community.
“This is a general issue on Lagos Island. We don’t have access to water and electricity. When we try to fetch water, what we get is salty. Sometimes, it comes just once or twice in a month, and many of the boreholes are no longer working,” he added.
According to him, the irregular supply has rendered many boreholes dysfunctional, while privately sourced water is often discoloured and unfit for use.
As a result, residents rely heavily on water vendors who move around the neighbourhood with wheelbarrows loaded with kegs.
Ishola further explained that the cost of water depends on residents’ floor levels, revealing that those on the ground floor pay between N1,500 and N2,000 for about 14 kegs, while those on upper floors spend between N2,500 and N4,000.
“The way it is structured is that each building has its own borehole, but most are no longer functional. We used to buy water from Hausa boys who hawk it in wheelbarrows. For those downstairs, 14 kegs cost about N1,500 to N2,000, while those upstairs pay up to N4,000. It is taking a huge toll on my family’s weekly expenses,” he said.
Water now a luxury for residents
Another resident, Oluwaseyi Bello, recalled a time when tap water was readily available and even sold locally as “iced water.”
The man, who is also a construction supervisor, said the situation has deteriorated significantly over the years, with boreholes now producing contaminated water that sometimes develops an oily layer within minutes, making it unsuitable for drinking or cooking.
“We no longer have good quality water in this community. Sometimes, when we fetch it, we see oil-like substances on it within minutes. We now use sachet water for cooking and drinking, and we spend a lot buying water from vendors who bring it from Oke Sura or Obalende,” Bello said.
He added that the lack of electricity worsens the situation, especially for construction workers who also depend on purchased water for their daily work.
“We don’t even have electricity, not to mention potable water. Even for construction work, we buy water. Sometimes, we are cheated with salty water before we realise. We want government intervention,” he appealed.
