The Kwara State Government has temporarily shut down the Asa Dam Waterworks in Ilorin to allow for the rehabilitation of the facility and restore efficient water treatment and supply to residents of the metropolis.

The Commissioner for Water Resources, Usman Yunusa Lade, disclosed this on Thursday during an inspection of the Asa Dam Waterworks.

Lade said the lamella clarifier units at the treatment plant had collapsed, while the filter beds were clogged with debris as a result of the heavy inflow of effluent and waste into the dam.

He said the situation had been further worsened by activities of fish farmers operating upstream, whose continuous discharge of wastewater from fish ponds had affected the efficiency of the waterworks.

According to the commissioner, the activities had also contributed to the spread of water hyacinth, creating environmental and public health concerns.

Lade said Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq had approved the immediate commencement of rehabilitation works at the facility.

He explained that the first phase would involve the evacuation of the damaged lamella components and the cleaning of the treatment basins to restore the facility to optimal operating condition.

The commissioner also directed owners of illegal structures and fish ponds located upstream of the Asa Dam to remove them ahead of an enforcement exercise by the state government.

He warned that the government would take necessary steps to protect the water source and prevent activities capable of compromising water quality and treatment operations.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Water Resources, Asonibare Christiana, appealed to residents, particularly those in areas affected by the temporary disruption in water supply, to bear with the government during the rehabilitation period.

She assured residents that the rehabilitation would be completed promptly and that normal water supply would resume as soon as possible.