A geo-scientist at the Department of Geology, Federal University of Maiduguri, Dr Manaja Mijinyawa, has called on borehole drillers to always seek experts’ advice before drilling boreholes.
Mijinyawa told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja yesterday that there was need for Nigerians to be worried about the future.
He said all efforts should be geared toward preservation of underground water.
Mijinyawa also stressed the need for government agencies to involve specialists, such as hydro-geologists, geo-scientists, whenever there were water projects in the country.
He said most of the government’s abandoned borehole projects in the country were as a result of non-inclusion of experts in the execution of such projects.
He explained that a geo-scientist or geologist surveyed the surface and subsurface water quantity and quality with a focus on enhancing the groundwater monitoring network.
According to him, indiscriminate drilling of borehole will have adverse effects, not only on the groundwater, but can also cause environmental degradation and water depletion.
He said: “What I was trying to explain is that there are a lot of unprofessional activities in the business of water drilling.
“They drill indiscriminately without taking into consideration, the involvement of geo-scientists when drilling.
“Whenever they see aquifer or find water at the certain position on the ground, they will say they have reached a level of water without taking into consideration the geological formation.”
He said that some of the water from such boreholes, especially at the coastal region was not potable for human consumption.
He said such water might have had contact with the salt or saline water emanating from the sea or rivers.
“The water may not be favourable for human or animal consumption or even for agricultural purposes.
“I am not saying that they should go out of their business, but they should seek professionals to guide them on the right site for the borehole before going into drilling.”
In a similar vein, President, Nigerian Association of Hydro-geologists, Mr Dom Nwachukwu, has said that the application of modern approaches would improve water resources management in the country.
He called for the application of modern technology such as water conservation in the provision of potable water rather than mere drilling of boreholes.
He emphasised the need for stakeholders in the water sector, especially private borehole drillers and governments at all levels, to make use of “Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) equipment.”
The president further advised borehole drillers to consult water specialists for proper discovery of water position in the ground.
