Victor Ekpo, managing director of the water board in Cross River, has attributed irregular water supply across the state to the high cost of diesel and vandalised pipes.

Mr Ekpo, who spoke to journalists on Tuesday in Calabar, said efforts were ongoing to restore water supply to some parts of the state this week.

“Our biggest challenge is that of diesel. The board does not have the fund to power the generating sets to pump water,” Mr Ekpo disclosed.

Citing an instance, the director claimed the board’s generator in the Ikom local government area consumed about 130 litres of diesel at N800 per litre.

Mr Ekpo, however, said Governor Ben Ayade promised to support the board with diesel and that parts of Calabar South and Calabar Municipality would enjoy uninterrupted water supply starting next week.

He added that the board flow stations outside the capital city used power generating sets because of the area’s low voltage of public power supply.

Mr Ekpo also lamented that pipes were either broken or vandalised, noting that the board had fixed and replaced some.

He also regretted that residents owed the board over N1 billion for the services rendered.

Meanwhile, residents said they looked forward to seeing the tap rush again after almost two years of no water supply.

A resident of the Calabar South, Judex Okoro, said it would be a thing of joy for the public water supply to be restored.

“We have not had water supply from the board in almost two years, and we will be happy if they keep to the promise of restoring water supply from this week,” he said.

It was the same response by Lloyd Ndoma, who resides in State Housing in Calabar. 

(NAN)