Laying of water pipes in gutters, common sight in Kaduna

Our reporter who visited areas including Sabon-Tasha, Ungwar Pama, Ungwar Boro and Television among others observed that many pipes pass through gutters, most of which are not well kept, to houses where pipe-borne water is supplied. It was also observed that some gutters have more than four pipes passed through them, thus, making it difficult for people who dig the gutters to clean them regularly.
Some of the pipes, it was also noted are broken at different points and only plugged with stripes of tyre tubes tied around them to stop the leakage but it is obvious that water from the gutter still finds its way through such pipes.
Some residents who were interviewed said most of the pipes found inside gutters were laid by landlords who don’t want to spend money to pass the pipes through the right channel where they will not be exposed and easily broken.
“The pipe that supplies water to my house passes through a gutter, some people normally sit by the culvert of the gutter and in the process step on the pipe leaving them broken. In my compound, we contribute money almost on monthly basis to repair broken pipes,” Mrs Halima Ibrahim said and called on the water board to come to their aid.
Another resident of U/Pama, Chinonso Nweke, decried the laying of pipes inside gutters saying his gutter was always dirty because it was difficult to clear it due to the many pipes laid inside. “Each time I call labourers to clear the gutter for me, you will see people in the neighbourhood complaining that their pipes have been broken and it is pretty difficult clearing this gutter with the pipes inside. I am really fed up and I want the water board to ask all the people who lay their water pipes in the gutter to remove them,” he said.
A public health physician, Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim, said it may not be entirely incorrect to pass water pipe through gutter so long as it is the kind of pipe that cannot be easily broken. He however mentioned that pipes that carry water are supposed to be buried to avoid risk of been broken and exposed to contamination.
Ibrahim who is also the chairman of Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) said, “When water board takes water, there is little or no pressure and as such, there is the possibility that the water from the gutter can flow into the pipe and thus, contaminating the water because the moment water is brought back, the gutter water will be the first to come out. This is simply because we have many burst pipes around and this could be a very easy way of contracting diseases like diarrhoea and typhoid fever among other water-borne diseases,” he said
According to him, the plastic pipe called PolyVinyl Chloride (PVC) can be used to pass water, saying, they come in different colours, sizes and thickness. “They are the best because they can avoid rust. They should also be very thick so that they cannot be easily broken,” he said.
He therefore stressed the need for the water board to have staff that will be moving from community to community to check pipes and ensure that water pipes are well laid in appropriate places as well as ensure that broken pipes are immediately repaired so that waste water does not escape through the broken pipes. He also stressed the need to create awareness so that people can know the implication of keeping burst pipes inside gutters or on the road.
He advised the state government to make laws or regulations that guide hygiene of water and the kind of pipes to be used to convey water.