The National Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission has pledged urgent action to address water shortages in Dukku by upgrading existing infrastructure.

Director of operations, Ilyasu Wara, disclosed this on Tuesday in Dukku, headquarters of Dukku LGA. The commission visited Dukku to assess conditions following complaints of severe water scarcity.

Mr Wara said the agency was considering a rapid intervention to repair and expand the Dukku water scheme instead of initiating a new project.

“From what we have seen, this is something we can act on quickly. I will report back and push for immediate support,” he said.

He noted that current efforts by local and state authorities were temporary and insufficient for the growing population.

Mr Wara identified heavy reliance on boreholes as the main issue, describing them as unreliable for sustained water supply.

“Our plan is to improve existing facilities by drawing water directly from the river with proper intake and distribution systems,” he added.

He said the town’s reservoir might also be expanded to increase storage capacity and reach more residents.

On timelines, Mr Wara stressed urgency, saying work should begin within six weeks to avoid delays during the rainy season.

The commissioner for water, environment and forest resources, Mohammed Fawu, said the project would complement state government efforts.

He explained that the Dukku water scheme had long been planned but stalled due to inadequate funding.

“The support from N-HYPPADEC is timely; it will accelerate progress and expand our capacity,” he said.

Mr Fawu said population growth had outpaced existing supply, adding that current storage capacity was inadequate. He expressed concern that many residents rely on costly water vendors transporting supplies from distant sources.

“People are paying too much for water; this is not sustainable,” he said.

Mr Fawu added that N-HYPPADEC would fully fund the intervention and had approved two hybrid boreholes as an interim measure. He said hybrid systems would reduce operational costs and improve water availability for residents.

(NAN)