Residents of Ozoro, the administrative headquarters of Isoko North Local Government Area in Delta State, have cried out over the prolonged collapse of the Urban Water Board, which has left taps dry across the community for more than two years.
The once-bustling water facility now lies silent and overgrown, resembling what locals describe as “a ghost yard.” Inside sources told The Trumpet that repeated appeals to the local authorities for intervention have yielded no result, leaving the town in a worsening state of water deprivation.
According to a staff member who requested anonymity, operations at the Ozoro Water Board shut down following persistent power outages and lack of diesel to run its pumping systems.
“The board has not functioned for over two years because there is no electricity or diesel to power the facility. We’ve reported to the government several times, but nothing has been done,” the source said.
The source added that apart from power issues, the water scheme also suffered from extensive infrastructural damage caused by contractors handling drainage projects and companies laying 5G network cables. These activities reportedly destroyed major pipelines, leaving several parts of the water distribution network in ruins.
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With the public water system grounded, residents of Ozoro and neighbouring communities now rely on private boreholes, sachet water, and other expensive alternatives. Many complain that these options are not only costly but often unsafe for domestic use, exposing low-income families to health risks.
Attempts to reach the Zonal Manager of the Urban Water Board, Engineer Onyia Augustine, were unsuccessful. However, insiders insist that only urgent government intervention, through power restoration, pipe repairs, and proper funding, can revive the water scheme and restore clean water to Ozoro.
The persistent water scarcity has become a pressing public health concern, and residents say they can no longer endure the neglect. “We pay our taxes, yet we buy water every day,” one resident lamented. “All we ask is for the government to make the taps flow again.”
