Lagos Govt to Lekki: Your Borehole Water May Be Full of Sewage

The Lagos State Government warned residents in the Lekki area that many who rely on borehole water might be consuming groundwater contaminated with untreated waste. 

The blunt declaration was made by Mahmood Adegbite, Permanent Secretary of the Office of Drainage Services and Water Resources, during a stakeholders’ meeting

“Everyone digging a borehole within the Lekki axis is probably drinking what I would call ‘shit water.’”

What’s Causing the Contamination?

Adegbite attributed the contamination to several factors:

• Proximity to Septic Tanks: Shallow drilling near household waste systems allows sewage to seep into the water table.
  
• Poor Drainage Infrastructure: Inefficient drainage systems increase the likelihood of wastewater mixing with groundwater.
  
• Rapid Unregulated Development: Unplanned borehole construction, conducted without permits, is worsening pollution risks across the fast-growing Lekki corridor

Eye-Opening Lab Results & Regulatory Action

Local laboratory tests have confirmed alarming contamination markers:

• High levels of coliform bacteria (indicative of fecal matter)
  
• Unsafe pH levels
  
• Early signs of sewage infiltration into groundwater supplies in Lekki

In response, the Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission (LASWARCO) has sealed several water packaging facilities in Lekki that failed to meet minimum quality and sanitation standards.

Why This Should Matter to You

• Health Risks: Contaminated borehole water can lead to gastrointestinal infections, cholera, typhoid fever, and other waterborne diseases.
  
• False Sense of Safety: Many residents trust boreholes as safer than tap water, yet, in this case, they may be ingesting dangerous contaminants.
  
• Need for Safe Alternatives: The government urges residents to avoid indiscriminate drilling and rely on safer options like regulated municipal water or properly treated sources.

What Officials Are Saying

Adegbite emphasized that with proper wastewater treatment plans already in motion, many illnesses can be prevented. However, he also stressed that more needs to be done:

“If we can treat all the wastewater within this axis… we should be able to eradicate any form of disease that might result…

Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources echoed these concerns, highlighting the urgency of water safety amid ongoing flooding and the potential for flash floods in low-lying areas like Lekki.