Federal Capital Territory Administration has banned the use of pipe borne water for car wash business, its spokesman, Mr Segun Kayode, said on Monday in Abuja.
Kayode told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), that government was spending huge sums on water treatment and would not allow people to waste it to wash cars.
“Already, the FCTA has directed the board to disconnect water supply from car wash points across the territory,” he said, adding that car wash operations were only recognised at filling stations “and some few areas”.
“We recognise only the car wash points at petrol filling stations; waterboard has not disconnected water supply to those areas,” he said.
According to him, most car wash operators at filling stations have the right approval and are paying their bills as and when due.
He explained that the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), had complained to the FCTA, during a Monitoring and Evaluation meeting, that some car wash operators were polluting the city with water and spoiling the roads.
“Apart from the fact that water is being wasted, the same water spread on roads thereby leading to flooding which spoils infrastructure in the city.
“So, we were directed to disconnect water supply in all car wash points not only in Kubwa, but the whole of Abuja.
“Whoever wants to operate a car wash should dig a borehole because portable water from the FCT Water board is not meant for car wash.
“We cannot allow some people to waste portable water any how in the name of car wash because some people are looking for this water and they cannot get it.
“We still have satellite towns that we need to supply water to. Government is till working on that.
“We cannot afford to accept such waste. Besides, most of them did not get the right authorisation from water board to connect water.
“Most times, when we go to some of them, they don’t have meter and even the ones that have the meter bypass it,” he said.
He said that before the board disconnected water supply from most car wash points in Kubwa, it had reached out to the operators through its Area Office and asked them to stop wasting water, “but they refused to adhere to the instruction”.
“As you can see, the climate is changing and is affecting water. Globally, people are working toward preserving water.
“Abuja is a modern city and we cannot allow things to be done anyhow. There are laws guiding how car wash can be operated in the city.
