JICA Donates Equipment, Hilux Vehicles to FCT Water Board

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) recently presented equipment and Hilux vehicles to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Water Board Agency for the projection on reduction of non-revenue water in the nation’s capital.

JICA noted that the Non-Revenue Water (NRW) issue is the most common challenge for the efficiency of a water company.

Chief Representative, JICA, Mr. Hirotaka Nakamura, in his remarks, said, “NRW is defined as the difference between the quantity of water supplied to a network and the metered, billed and paid for water by the customer.”

According to him, “It has two components, physical losses due to leakage from pipes; and administrative losses due to illegal connections and under registration of water meters. In the FCT, our findings indicate a conservative NWR of about 42 per cent and a bill collection efficiency of 35 per cent.

“Such figures represent substantial losses of potential revenues that are needed for future investments on improved service delivery. This project is a holistic coupling of the technical, social and institutional components in order to establish a functional model for managing NRW. This can be replicated by other water utilities across Nigeria based on expected successful result”, he added.

He said, JICA was aware that the Water Board currently operates in 16 service areas in Abuja and has plans to further expand and service Abuja residents much better. “In order to assist such plans, JICA decided to provide Ultrasonic water flow meters, leak detectors, pipe detectors, test meters, data loggers, two 4WD Vehicles of worth a total of approximately $421,000.”

Nakamura explained that the project had identified and selected Pilot Metering (PMAs) from each of the Abuja Districts, where currently has no functional or reliable system in place for measuring water losses.

He added that the water flow meters would be installed to each PMA to measure in/ outflows regularly to analyse accurate data of NRW, and implored FCT Water Board and relevant departments to take good care of the equipment, and reduced water losses converted to cash can be the solution.

The Permanent Secretary, FCT, Mr. John Chukwu while receiving the keys to the vehicles thanked JICA for its continuous efforts to reducing water problem in the city.

Chukwu, represented by the Director, FCT Water Board, Mallam Hudu Bello, stated that the project has come on stream at a most convenient time when emphasis is on the prudent conduct of Government business.