By Ifeanyichukwu Ibe
The Managing Director of the Imo State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASA), Dr. Kennedy Agulom, has assured residents of the state that they will soon enjoy improved access to clean, safe and potable water following the successful assessment of water facilities across the 27 Local Government Areas of the state.
Dr. Agulom gave the assurance in Owerri on Tuesday, July 21, during a stakeholders’ engagement and public presentation of the results of the enumeration of the conditions of boreholes and water facilities across Imo State, an exercise aimed at ensuring greater accessibility to potable and quality water for the people.
He explained that the engagement was organized to align Imo State with the Rural WASH Investment Plan, which seeks to strengthen water supply and sanitation services in rural communities through evidence-based interventions.
According to him, the enumeration exercise was carried out by TeamWork Global Associates, consultants to the programme, who trained and deployed 135 enumerators to communities across the 27 LGAs to ascertain the number and conditions of boreholes and other water facilities located in primary and secondary schools, healthcare centres and public places.
Dr. Agulom noted that the enumeration, conducted about two months earlier, was designed to map existing water facilities, identify underserved rural communities and determine critical gaps requiring intervention under the Rural WASH Investment Plan.
He said the outcome of the exercise revealed significant gaps in water infrastructure across many communities, thereby providing government with reliable data to guide the construction of new boreholes and rehabilitation of existing facilities where necessary.
The RUWASA boss described access to clean water as essential to sustaining life, public health and socio-economic development, stressing that the findings would serve as a roadmap for expanding potable water supply to rural communities across the state.
He commended Governor Hope Uzodimma for making access to quality water a priority, noting that the governor has consistently demonstrated commitment to the holistic development of Imo State.
According to him, Governor Uzodimma’s determination to transform the state’s water supply system will complement the remarkable achievements already recorded in infrastructure, healthcare, human capacity development and other critical sectors.
Dr. Agulom also appealed to residents to cooperate with RUWASA by protecting public water facilities from vandalism and misuse, emphasizing that community ownership remains crucial to the sustainability of water projects.
He assured the people that the agency is committed to translating the findings of the assessment into practical interventions that will improve the quality of life of residents.
“We are determined to ensure that Imo people enjoy clean, safe and accessible water. With the support of the state government and the cooperation of our communities, residents will witness a turnaround that will guarantee the availability of potable and quality water across the state,” he said.
The stakeholders’ engagement featured the presentation of the statewide enumeration results, interactive discussions and recommendations on strategies for implementing the Rural WASH Investment Plan to bridge identified gaps and strengthen sustainable water supply in rural communities across Imo State.
