The Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission (LASWARCO), on Wednesday, drove its sensitisation campaign on safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene to communities in the Eredo Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State.

The commission embarked on the sensitisation as part of its tour across communities in the state.

The programme, tagged “Safe Water, Sanitation and Hygiene”, is aimed at educating residents on safe water practices and preventing waterborne diseases.

Speaking during the sensitisation exercise, the executive secretary of LASWARCO, Oluwabukola Adeyemo, said that access to safe and potable water was critical to public health and sustainable development.

She noted that while Lagos is blessed with abundant water resources, not every available water source is safe for drinking and domestic use.

Ms Adeyemo stressed the need for proper regulation, monitoring and treatment of water to protect residents from diseases such as cholera, typhoid and other water-related illnesses.

According to her, the sensitisation programme is designed to enlighten communities on water quality standards, hygiene practices and the dangers of consuming untreated water.

Also speaking at the event, senior special assistant to the Lagos State governor on water regulation, Bode Olaniyan, said that the sensitisation programme aligns with the T.H.E.M.E.S Plus Agenda of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, particularly its health and safety component.

Mr Olaniyan said that the governor was passionate about ensuring a healthy Lagos, which informed LASWARCO’s continuous engagement with communities across the state.

According to him, the campaign is designed to educate residents that “water is life” and that safe water practices are essential to prevent waterborne diseases.

In his remarks, the executive chairman of Eredo LCDA, Ismail Akinloye, represented by the Vice Chairman, Lateef Adesanya, described the sensitisation programme as a call for shared commitment in safeguarding water resources.

Mr Akinloye said that water is vital to health, economy, environment and overall well-being, adding that unsafe water continues to pose serious health and environmental challenges.

While harping on the role of stakeholders in the water value chain, he also called for strict adherence to approved treatment, storage and distribution standards.

Stakeholders at the event included borehole drillers, producers of sachet water association, farmers, artisans and representatives of traditional rulers.

Reacting to the training, some borehole drillers urged the need for mandatory geological tests before drilling to ensure water safety.

On their part, the farmers, especially those involved in vegetable and fish farming, thanked LASWARCO for the initiative, adding that the programme would help improve water usage practices.

The exercise had over 400 people in attendance.

(NAN)