Evaluation of Water Intake Structures For Municipal Water Supply Scheme in Lagos, Nigeria
Evaluation of Water Intake Structures For Municipal Water Supply Scheme in Lagos, Nigeria
Evaluation of Water Intake Structures For Municipal Water Supply Scheme in Lagos, Nigeria
2012
Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate some of the grass root problems that tend to frustrate municipal water
supply efforts of the Lagos State Water Corporation. This was achieved by understudying three water withdrawal
points, namely Iju, Isashi and Adiyan water intake facilities through physical observation, administration of
questionnaires and Pearson’s correlation coefficient analysis of data obtained through questionnaire. The
correlation coefficient analysis of the location of intake against water source gave value ranges of 0.530, 0.545
and 0.586 for Iju, Adiyan and Isashi Intakes respectively. The correlation analysis of the hydraulic properties of
the intake structure against water quality also revealed value ranges of 0.260, 0.236 and -0.453 respectively while
the correlation analysis of intake location and water quality gave value ranges of -0.246, -0.602 and -0.827
respectively. Although, physical observations revealed that good planning, designs and constructions were
achieved in all the three facilities, but unwholesome practices as demonstrated by lack of maintenance culture,
archaic operational practices and inadequate funding undermined the entire water supply scheme.
*Corresponding Author: Nubi Afolasade Tosin [email protected]
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J. Bio. & Env. Sci. 2012
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2004 (UN, 2006). Lagos state, Nigeria is widely Materials and methods
accepted as the economic and Industrial Study area
headquarters of Nigeria. The Lagos state government agency (Lagos State
Water Corporation) utilizes the raw water from the
The Federal Government’s official population figure Ogun River as the major source to increase the
of Lagos state alone (which has attracted much capacity of the treated water distribution system in
controversy) stands at 9.013 million people. Lagos metropolis and environs. River Ogun, which
Conversely, the Lagos State Government and United has its source several kilometres from the intake, has
Nations say that 17 million people reside in Lagos an average water level of 3.5m in the rainy season
state (Lagos State Government, 2006; Microsoft and 1.0m in the dry season. All the three intakes in
Encarta, 2005) making it one of the most populous this study draw their raw water from River Ogun.
cities in the world. Taking daily per capita water While the Adiyan and Iju intakes are located in Akute
requirement for domestic use as 100 litres village, within the Ogun State boundary, the Isashi
(Falkenmark and Widstrand, 1992), the current intake is located within Lagos state boundary. The
water requirement of Lagos residents for domestic Adiyan and Iju intakes are known as Akute Intakes.
use alone is 901.3million litres per day (using FGN The Akute intakes are responsible for the raw water
data) and 1.7 billion litres per day (using Lagos State extraction for Adiyan and Iju Waterworks. The
Government and UN data). By projection, water formation also houses and maintains the anti-salinity
demand for domestic use alone for half of Lagos state weir. The Adiyan raw water intake was constructed in
residents by 2015 will be 580 million litres per day 1991 and has been in operation since then. The
(using FGN data, 3.2% growth rate and projecting average water supply from the intake is about 288
from 2007) and 1.13 billion litres per day (using mld which is obtained from the use of three pumps of
Lagos State and UN data, 3.2% growth rate and about 96 mld each. But presently only 2 of the pumps
projecting from 2006). This does not take into are working producing only about 192 mld. The
cognisance the fact that water withdrawal in Africa intake is located at the upstream of the river also at a
goes into Agricultural, Industrial and domestic uses depth where it can draw water during dry seasons.
in the proportion 88%, 5% and 7% respectively The Adiyan intake does not get flooded because it
(Hinrichsen et al, 2007). Moreover, millions of was designed for the worst water in flow conditions;
people who earn their living in Lagos actually reside the highest water level recorded was in September
in Ogun state, because of the proximity and cheaper 2003 having 4.36m and in September 2005 having
cost of living. Industrialists also have of late been 4.28m at the intake which was the peak period of the
locating their industries in Ogun state whereas their raining season. At the Adiyan intake there was a
primary market target is the Lagos population. With history of salt water intrusion in 1993 which affected
this ever increasing demand for water in perspective, the water supplied to Lagos state consumers but the
it is estimated that only 35% of Lagos residents are problem of the intrusion was solved by the
served by the Lagos State Water Corporation (FGN, construction of a weir in 1995 on the Ogun River and
2000). It is also on record that more than 60% of before the intake structure. Due to the effect of this
water produced to serve this low percentage of weir the salty water from the lagoon was halted
people is unaccounted for and lost through leakages, which allowed the use of normal materials for pipes,
illegal connections and excess consumptions through fitting and pumps. The raw water passes through a
flat rate tariff (FGN, 2000). These facts paint a grim coarse screen, fine screen, inlet gate and pumping
picture indeed of Nigeria and possibly of other chamber. The coarse screen is made up of vertical
developing countries since similar conditions are iron bars with 160mm spacing and fine screen of
obtainable.
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i 1 i 1 n
Data gathering and processing
(3)
Data was gathered in the year 2006 through field n n
i 1 i 1 n
facilities. The physical properties (colour and
(4)
turbidity) of the source river were assessed by
physical observation. A total of 21 questionnaires
Results and discussion
were administered at the 3 intake locations to Project
River Ogun, where the raw water is being sourced
Managers, Operations & Maintenance Managers, and
was observed to be replete with a lot of unrestricted
Site Engineers as respondents. The questionnaire
anthropogenic activities such fishing, subsistence
addressed issues such as the source of raw water,
farming and firewood processing which contributed
intake location, hydraulic properties and the quality-
to increased pollution of the source water.
cum-quantity of water of the water withdrawal
Substances such as broken fishing nets and cleared
system. The result rankings were concluded using the
weeds were observed to be clinging to the surface of
Likert scale. Responses ranged from a score of 4,
the screens, thereby hindering the process by
representing ‘strongly agree’ to a score of 1
reducing the rate of raw water extraction. The colour
representing ‘strongly disagree’. Eighteen were
of the water was observed to be greenish at the three
returned giving rise to a response of 86%
intake sites. This discolouration was caused by the
approximately. For the purpose of correlation
growing vegetation on the water surface. Also,
coefficient analysis, the independent variables, x and
manual dredging activities was observed to be
the dependent variables, y were taken respectively as
carried out at both Iju and Adiyan intakes. The
the river source and intake location; hydraulic
dredge spoils were put in canoes and disposed off at
properties of the intake structure and the quality of
the adjacent land to the intake. This is washed back
raw water; Location of intake structure and quality of
gradually into the river during raining season,
raw water. Analysis of data was done by applying
thereby increasing the turbidity of the raw water
Pearson’s correlation coefficient as stated in
while the sediment movement also clog the screens.
equations 1 to 4 (Montgomerry and Runger, 2003;
Sediment transport is highest during the wet season
Sprinthal, 2002):
thereby causing the turbidity of the water get as high
as 40 N.T.U. or as low as 26 N.T.U. Due , also, to the
S xy sediment and waste disposal in the river, the colour
r
S xx S yy ranged between 140 and 500 during the dry and wet
seasons respectively.
(1)
Where,
Centrifugal pumps were being used at the three
n
n n
( xi ) 2 intake locations that were studied. The intake pipes
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pumps are functional, full daily production capacity sites is bad. This is due to lack of spare parts to
cannot be achieved. For example, only two out of the replace damaged ones and the scarcity of diesel to
five centrifugal pumps at Adiyan intake were run the machine regularly.
working. This has reduced the water pumping
efficiency. The condition of the generators at three
RIVER BANK
H.W.L
SUCTION
INLET WITH PIPE
SCREENS
INTAKE WELL
L.W.L
RIVER BED
The maintenance culture of the water works can only Hydraulic properties of the intake structure and
be described as very poor. It was observed that the quality of raw water
screens were corroded, thereby putting public health For Iju and Adiyan, their correlation coefficients are
at risk as a result of dissolved metal in the water 0.260 and 0.236 respectively. This shows a positive
which may not be provided for at the treatment but low correlation between the hydraulic properties
plant. It was also observed at the three intake and the raw water quality. Isashi had a correlation
locations that the few pumps and generators that are coefficient value of -0.453. This indicates a higher,
still functioning are not being serviced. This though negative correlation between the hydraulic
negligence was attributed to lack of funds from the properties and the quality of raw water.
government.
Table 1. Values of r = Pearson’s Correlation
Survey analysis coefficient.
Results of the questionnaires that were administered Parameters IJU ADIYAN ISASHI
were analyzed using the models stated in equation 1
to 4. The correlation coefficient for the following Source& 0.530 0.545 0.586
Location
parameters was derived for each intake location
(results are presented in Table 1). Hydraulic& 0.260 0.236 -0.453
Quality
Location of intake facility and source of raw water Location& -0.246 -0.602 -0.827
Quality
The correlation coefficient values ranged between
0.530 to 0.586, with Isashi recording the highest
value of 0.586, and Iju recording the lowest value of Location of intake facility and quality of raw water
0.530. All the three values were positive and high, The correlation coefficients for Iju, Adiyan, and
indicating that there are positive correlations Isashi are -0.246, -0.602, -0.827 respectively. These
between the location and river source for the three all show a negative correlation between location and
(3) intake sites. the quality of raw water for the three intakes.
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