Lagos ‘Shit Water’ Boreholes: A Stark Sign of Government Failure, Says CAPPA

By: Oluwaseun Lawal

Here’s the harsh truth. Lagos residents, especially in Lekki Peninsula, are drinking what the government official himself called “shit water.” Mahmood Adegbite, a top official in Lagos State’s Ministry of Environment, didn’t sugarcoat it. Contaminated boreholes are putting people’s health at risk.

But CAPPA isn’t shocked. They say this blunt admission just exposes a bigger problem—the government’s long-standing failure to provide clean, safe water. Boreholes and dug wells? Not a luxury. They’re a desperate survival tactic. People have been forced to fend for themselves because public water systems have been neglected for decades.

CAPPA’s Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, put it plainly: “You can’t ignore your duty for years, then shame people for trying to survive.” The government’s failure to invest in water infrastructure has left Lagosians drinking unsafe water, facing disease outbreaks, and living in fear.

The problem isn’t new. Faecal contamination, poor sewage management, untreated wastewater—these are symptoms of a broken system. Yet, instead of fixing it, the government flirts with privatization schemes that put profits before people. CAPPA warns this path is dangerous and calls for a halt to market-based reforms.

What Lagos needs now is urgent public investment, transparent governance, and a community-focused water policy. CAPPA demands the government bring residents, civil society, and experts together to craft a plan that works for everyone. They want emergency action to fix broken wastewater systems and climate-resilient solutions for water and drainage.

And yes, regulating boreholes is important. But it can’t happen without first giving people real, safe water options.

Bottom line? Lagosians aren’t to blame for drinking contaminated water. They’re victims of policy failure. It’s time the government owns up—and fixes it.