Auta Balefi residents in New Karu Local Government Area, Nasarawa State, have decried rising water prices, blaming the hike on increased diesel costs and the overall rise in living expenses.

The residents said on Tuesday in Abuja that the rising cost of water placed additional financial pressure on household expenses.

“We have been forced to adjust our spending to meet our daily water needs,” they said.

Water vendors raised prices due to higher operating costs. They rely mainly on diesel-powered machines to pump water from boreholes.

A water vendor with 17 years in the business, Ayuba Danjuma, said, “The cost of supplying water has increased significantly due to the rising price of diesel.”

“My source of water is from a borehole, and I use a diesel-powered machine to pump the water before supplying it to retailers, popularly known as ‘mai ruwa.’

“Back then, we sold water to the mai ruwa for between N20 and N50, but now it costs N400 because of the increase in diesel prices,” he said.

A water retailer who has been in business for five years, Adamu Yero, said he also obtained his water from a borehole at N400 per supply.

Mr Yaro explained that the increase in the distributor’s price directly affected the amount he charged customers.

“I used to sell one truck of water for N200, but now I sell it for between N1,000 and N1,200, depending on the distance.

“The cost of living has increased, and the price I pay to buy water has also gone up,” he said.

A resident, Ruth Audu, said she bought water three times a week, adding that the increase was understandable given the prevailing economic situation.

“I understand why water is more expensive now because the cost of living has gone up and diesel prices have also increased,” Ms Audu said.

Another resident, Ibrahim Musa, said the rising cost of water was putting additional pressure on household budgets.

Mr Musa said some residents had been forced to reduce the quantity of water they purchased whenever other household expenses increased.

He appealed to the relevant authorities to improve access to public water supply, saying it would reduce residents’ dependence on private water vendors.

The main source of water supplied to residents in Auta Balefi is borehole water, with many households depending on private water vendors to meet their daily needs.

According to the residents, though the increased prices have created an additional financial burden, they have little or no choice but to continue buying water.

“This is because of the need for a reliable source of water for drinking, cooking, bathing and other household activities,” the residents said.

For the vendors, however, the increase is largely driven by operational costs, including fuel, transportation and maintenance of pumping machines.

The development reflects the wider impact of rising energy and living costs on essential household services, as businesses that depend on fuel-powered equipment pass increased operating expenses on to consumers.

Residents expressed hope that measures to reduce the cost of diesel and improve water infrastructure would help bring down the price of water.

They also called for increased investment in public water infrastructure to reduce dependence on private boreholes and water vendors. 

(NAN)