Kano city needs more than 750m liters of water daily – Commissioner

Kano State Commissioner for Water Resources, Environment and Climate Change, Dahir Muhammad Hashim, announced that Kano city's daily consumption of potable water stands at 750 million liters. This need has only increased since the 2022 figures were recorded, with current demand surpassing the capacity of the state's treatment plants.

During a press conference in Kano, Hashim detailed that the three principal waterworks – Challawa, Tamburawa, and Watari – were initially constructed to generate 445 million liters at maximum output, resulting in a shortfall of over 300 million liters each day.

He lamented that upon his administration's inception, the majority of these plants were operating at less than 20 percent efficiency, with Tamburawa producing no water at all. Kano, with a population exceeding 20 million, faces a daily water demand of 750 million liters, while its existing infrastructure can only supply 445 million liters when running at full capacity.

The commissioner emphasized the scale of the challenge, stating that only when fully operational would Challawa alone be able to provide 51 percent of the state's water.

Hashim reported that the government has taken significant steps to address the situation. Efforts are underway to rehabilitate the treatment plants, reservoirs, and pipelines, including the cleaning and repair of long-abandoned reservoirs and the restoration of nine out of the 19 regional water schemes across the state. Recent successes include the revival of Guzuguzu, which had been idle for nearly five years, now supplying water to Kura and Riman Gado.

Wudil, Kusalla, and Joda water schemes are also receiving rehabilitation attention, with new boreholes and stabilized electricity supply to ensure consistent production.

The commissioner assured the public that the administration is committed to bridging the water deficit, investing in new distribution networks and planning for future population growth. Additionally, Hashim highlighted ongoing flood control measures and afforestation projects, including the distribution of 10 million seedlings in 2025 and the transformation of parks like Nassarawa Garden and the Diplomatic Garden into green spaces for recreation and cultural exchange.

These initiatives are not only enhancing the city's aesthetic appeal but also restoring indigenous tree species that face extinction.

Kano's climate governance ranking has improved remarkably, moving from 35th to 4th position nationally, thanks to the implementation of policies such as the Climate Change Action Plan, Pollution Control Law, and Green Bond Framework. Hashim expressed the government's commitment to making Kano a model for climate governance in Nigeria and beyond.

He urged residents to contribute to these efforts by preventing waste dumping in waterways and reporting drainage obstructions. Hashim concluded by stressing that the success of the administration's reforms hinges on community cooperation.