Abstract:
The Edo State Central Senatorial District comprising of five Local
Government Areas with about one hundred and fifty six towns, communities
and camps has a population of three hundred and seventy-two thousand, one
hundred and twenty-two (372,122) people by the 1991 census figure. There are
three surface water schemes - Ugbalo; Iyagun and Ibiekuma across the Senatorial District, yet the major problem of the area is inadequate water supply. About seventy-five percent of the population have no access to portable water supply. The three water schemes service range is limited and bedevilled with deficiency and decay of facilities resulting in ineffectiveness of the supply systems. The existing water supply facilities in the Senatorial District were appraised, the technical problems affecting them identified and the required improvements and modifications for optimisation of the schemes based on the reality of times were articulated. The streams flow capacities from the measurement taken showed that much more water can be abstracted from the
streams for enhanced supply to the communities. Other sources (Ella and
Amendokhian streams) with high flow potential were identified for development to extend water supply coverage of the Senatorial District.The outcome of this study showed that the three existing water schemes in the area are capable of an increased daily total output of about One hundred and twenty-five thousand, five hundred and twenty-six cubic metres per day (125,526m3/d). The other identified surface water sources have potential for increased water supply to the area with about Sixty thousand cubic metres/day
(60,000 m3/d) With a projected population of about one million, one hundred fifty-one
thousand, four hundred and seventy-nine people (1,l51,479) by the year 2028
and water demand of one hundred and ninety-three thousand, four hundred and
fifty cubic metres/day (193,450 m3/d) the three existing water schemes and the
addition of the proposed two new surface water schemes at Igueben and Uromi,
will enhance water supply to the area to about one hundred and seventy
thousand, seven hundred and seventy-six cubic metres per day (170,776 m3/d).
While the shortfall would be augmented from underground water sources
(boreholes). With each of the three existing and the two proposed schemes
located in one of the five Local Government Areas comprising the Senatorial
District respectively; and the booster stations linkage; the upgrading of the
schemes and the development of the proposed ones the demand of the area will
be met within the projected period.
