Lagos Set To Regulate Commercial Water, Wastewater Service Charges In Estates 

The Lagos State Government, through the Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission (LASWARCO), has pledged to strengthen regulation of commercial water and wastewater service providers’ charges and water quality in various estates across the state.

This comes as the state government moves to ensure that utility service providers in estates with more than 50 apartments throughout the state provide value for money, adhere to standards and guidelines, and so on.

Mrs. Funke Adepoju, Executive Secretary of LASWARCO, gave the assurance during a stakeholders’ engagement at the Commission’s office in Alausa, Ikeja, with the Lekki Estates Residents and Stakeholders Association (LERSA), which is the umbrella body for over 120 Lekki Estates, Communities, and Stakeholders from 1004 Area to Epe and Ibeju Lekki.

The major functions of LASWARCO

Adepoju said that in order to perform its functions and exercise its powers, Section 311, Subsection 1 of the Harmonised Lagos State Environmental Management Protection Law, 2017, empowers LASWARCO to protect the long-term interests of consumers with regards to price, quality and reliability of services in the water sector.

She said that the commission is also statutorily empowered to regulate activities relating to abstraction, provision, consumption, production, supply, distribution, sale and use of water, the quality of service and the tariff payable to ensure the financial stability of the water sector and regulate allowable returns to the operators, be it public or private water service provision.

Adepoju said, “In line with its mandate, therefore, all required efforts will be channelled in line with the provision of the law to ensure that utility service providers in estates of more than 50 tenements across the State deliver value for money, comply with standards and guidelines, including having the prescribed license and permit, to operate as water service providers.’’

LASWARCO to ensure that water consumer are not unfairly charged

The LASWARCO boss added that the commission is also empowered to ensure the viability of the sector, as well as have the mandate to ensure that consumers are not subjected to unfair charges by all operators of water and wastewater services.

Adepoju said that the engagement with Lekki residents and stakeholders is one of the series that will take place, as it had become necessary to sensitise the consumers of water in estates across Lagos of their basic rights and responsibilities and that of the service providers and government.

The commission also states the obligations of all concerned in the scheme of delivery of effective water supply and sanitation services as well as the laid out mechanism for complaints and redress with the Commission.