The Ogun State government has strongly warned residents of the state, especially contractors working around communities within the state, against damaging water infrastructure, stating that it will arrest and prosecute such individuals.

The state water corporation, in a statement by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Water Resources, Hon. Damilola Otubanjo, further condemned the deliberate attempts by some residents to willfully destroy basic water infrastructure, accusing contractors of destroying pipes along the road during construction without making efforts to replace them.

According to her, the corporation is already battling aged and deteriorating facilities without replacement by successive administrations in the state.

It, however, promised to rehabilitate and upgrade that infrastructure to improve the quality of potable water supply to the residents, lamenting that these efforts are being frustrated by the constant damage to its facilities.

“As we are fully committed to rehabilitating and upgrading our water supply networks, one pipe at a time, our efforts to enhance the water sector and ensure the provision of potable water to the citizens of Ogun State are being greatly hampered by the insensitive activities of road contractors.

“These contractors, driven solely by the urgency of road construction, frequently damage our underground pipeline networks with little regard for the consequences of their actions.

“This persistent and avoidable damage has significantly contributed to the rise in non-revenue water (NRW), leading to substantial losses in resources, increased operational costs, and a decline in service efficiency.

“The repercussions of these avoidable infrastructure damages include a high volume of wasted treated water, with bursts and leaks resulting in a massive loss of water that has already undergone rigorous treatment, causing an unnecessary depletion of our limited resources.

“Also, there are escalating repair costs, as frequent damage to pipelines imposes a heavy financial burden on OSWC, diverting funds that could otherwise be used for infrastructure upgrades and service improvements; increased risk of contamination as broken pipes expose treated water to external contaminants, posing serious health hazards to the residents of Ogun State.

“There are disruptions in water supply, as burst pipes lead to service interruptions, depriving communities of access to clean and safe drinking water, and loss of revenue, with damaged pipes resulting in financial losses due to wasted resources and uncollected water revenue.

“Reputational damage to OSWC: Service disruptions and inefficiencies caused by these damages create a false perception of negligence on the part of OSWC, thereby eroding public confidence in our ability to provide essential services.”

The corporation reiterated its stance against any act damaging its infrastructure, stating that such behavior will no longer be tolerated, as it will take decisive measures to hold offenders accountable for any damage inflicted upon its assets by enforcing stricter collaboration between OSWC and road construction firms to ensure pre-construction assessments of water pipelines.

Additionally, it stated that the corporation is set to strengthen monitoring and rapid response mechanisms to address incidents of damage swiftly, as well as enhancing public awareness among other measures.

It continued: “The OSWC remains resolute in its commitment to improving water supply across Ogun State. However, these efforts must be supported by responsible practices from all stakeholders, particularly construction companies and contractors. We call on all relevant authorities, agencies, and the general public to join us in preserving and protecting our water assets for the benefit of all.

“We urge road contractors and all stakeholders to act with a sense of responsibility and prioritize infrastructure protection as a fundamental aspect of their operations. Any deliberate or negligent act that compromises our water distribution network will be met with decisive action.”