By Abdullahi Lukman
Several communities in Jos are facing acute water shortages, forcing residents to queue for hours at commercial boreholes and pay sharply higher prices for basic water supplies.
In neighbourhoods such as Gwarandok, Tudun Wada and Jenta Adamu, access to potable water has become a daily struggle.
Long lines of residents, including women and children, gather around the few functioning boreholes, waiting under the sun to fill jerry cans and buckets on a first-come, first-served basis.
In Tudun Wada, located in Jos North, traditional shallow wells have dried up completely, leaving households dependent on paid vendors or unsafe alternatives.
Water sellers, popularly known as “mai ruwa,” have raised prices significantly, with the cost of a jerry can increasing from N50 to as much as N200 in some areas. Many families now report spending up to N7,000 weekly on water.
Residents say the situation has worsened due to infrastructure challenges. Anita Goje Benjamin of Gwarandok in Jos South said water pipes were removed during road construction more than a year ago and have yet to be restored, leaving the community without steady supply.
She urged the government to complete the abandoned works and reconnect households to public water lines.
Others describe the toll on livelihoods. A local dry cleaner, Lanmark Ventur, said he spends over N12,000 weekly on water to sustain his business, warning that the rising costs are eroding profits.
Meanwhile, residents like Blessing Damos say they wake as early as 3 a.m. to fetch water from slow-flowing springs, often facing safety risks in the process.
Some community members acknowledged efforts by Caleb Mutfwang to address infrastructure deficits but called for urgent and lasting solutions to the water crisis.
They warned that without prompt government intervention, the hardship facing households and small businesses could deepen further.
The ongoing scarcity underscores the urgent need for improved water infrastructure and sustainable supply systems to ease the burden on residents across Jos.
