The Otobi Water Works in Benue State is delivering a renewed supply of potable water to Otukpo town, Otobi community and surrounding areas, with the 10,000-cubic-metre-per-day treatment plant currently operating at full capacity.
The development follows the rehabilitation of the long-abandoned water scheme by the present administration, alongside the expansion of water distribution through sub-reticulation in Otukpo and neighbouring communities.
Juliet Maka, Director of Urban Water Supply and Quality Control and the supervising director of the Benue State Water Board, explained that the water treatment process begins at the Otobi Stream, the plant’s raw-water source.
According to her, high-lift pumps draw raw water from the stream into the treatment plant, where it first passes through the aerator.
“That is where water treatment starts,” Maka explained. “The water from the stream comes straight through the aerator. From there, it goes to the different chambers and meets various chemicals for water treatment.”
She explained that three major treatment chemicals—alum, chlorine and polyelectrolyte—are used at different stages of the purification process. After treatment, the water is transferred into the clear-water tank, from where it is distributed to consumers.
The Otobi Water Works was originally constructed in 2012 by the then administration. A subsequent operation and maintenance contract was awarded for 24 months, but disagreements surrounding the project eventually led to its abandonment for several years.
The facility received a new lease of life when the present administration recalled the company previously contracted to operate and maintain the scheme and subsequently awarded a fresh rehabilitation contract.
Maka said the rehabilitation of the Otobi Water Works was completed in September last year, after which the administration also embarked on sub-reticulation in Otukpo town to expand the reach of the water supply network.
She noted that the impact of the project is already being felt by residents.
“Otobi community is benefiting from this project right now. And then Otukpo town is benefiting from it, and Otukpo is a big town,” she said.
With a treatment capacity of 10,000 cubic metres of water per day, the facility is currently operating at full capacity, supplying Otukpo and several surrounding communities.
The Plant Manager and Area Officer, Peter Inalegwu, said the facility has been operating consistently and supplying water to Otukpo town and various communities within the area.
He explained that raw water is pumped from the Otobi source through the aerator and subsequently passed through the various stages of the treatment process.
According to him, the state government provides the essential materials required for purification, including alum, chlorine and polyelectrolyte.
“The purification element is being sourced from the state government. The government provides all these materials for us—the alum, chlorine and polyelectrolyte,” Inalegwu said.
He added that staff of the water works remain committed to ensuring continuous operation and effective service delivery to the people.
Despite the progress recorded, the water project still faces challenges, particularly along the Taraku line.
Inalegwu disclosed that prolonged abandonment of the project exposed some of the pipelines to vandalism, making it difficult for the existing extension to reach Taraku.
Maka, however, assured residents that efforts are already underway to address the challenge and further expand the water network.
She explained that some pipelines have also been affected by ongoing road construction along the federal road, but said the government is working towards restoring the affected lines.
“There are plans on the way to get to Taraku and even extend to where the sub-reticulation did before,” Maka said.
She acknowledged the difficulties caused by vandalism and road construction but stressed that remedial work has already commenced.
“As I speak now, we’re actually working towards that already,” she added.
The revival of the Otobi Water Works represents a major step towards strengthening public water supply in Otukpo and its environs.
With the treatment plant operating at full capacity and government support for the provision of treatment chemicals, residents are beginning to benefit from infrastructure that had remained largely dormant for years.
The ongoing efforts to repair damaged pipelines and extend distribution to communities such as Taraku further demonstrate the administration’s commitment to ensuring that access to clean and safe water reaches more people across the area.
For Otukpo and its surrounding communities, the renewed operation of the Otobi Water Works is more than the revival of an old facility—it is a fresh investment in public health, community development, and the future of Benue State.
Otobi Water Works served as the final inspection site for the Presidential Media Team, led by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
The Renewed Hope Ambassadors Project Tour in Benue State provided another major platform to showcase the commendable achievements and ongoing interventions of both the state and federal governments. When water flows, communities thrive; when infrastructure works, Benue moves forward.