CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Nigeria has enormous quantity of water resources, surface and underground, that requires a well-articulated administrative structure that can manage the resources effectively. The present position of water supply in Nigeria is grossly inadequate. The Federal, States and Local Governments have over the years been intervening from time to time in terms of the provision of potable water to the people through the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), River Basin Authorities, DFRRI, National Water Supply Rehabilitation Project, National Borehole programme and of course, the present government‘s Legislative Boreholes. Despite these efforts, potable water supply is still poor and grossly inadequate. In reality, the problem of water supply in Nigeria is enormous and can only be solved through properly coordinated approach so as to overcome the problem.
According to Babatola (1997), Offodile (2003, 2006), Nwankwoala &Mmom (2008), water supply lies at the heart of development whether it is urban or rural. Water supply and development of any nation are continuing long-term process which requires careful planning and implementation geared towards achieving improved conditions of life. Consequently, there should be an overhaul/review of the existing water policy or a new national water policy that would involve a comprehensive hydro geological mapping of the country. The exercise must be based on known groundwater and surface water sources (Mobogunje, 1975).
According to Uwais, (2004) man cannot survive longer without food than water. But because water is freely available through rainfall, man has until fairly recently, taken this unique resources for granted.
Although more than 70% of the earth surface is water, water has become a scarce commodity in many part of the world. The threat of a world water crisis becoming increasingly real in the face of increase demand, relatively statistic supply and deteriorating quality due to over exploitation. It is universally accepted that an adequate supply of water for drinking, personal hygiene and other domestic purposes is essential to public health and wellbeing. It is well known fact that large number of people in Nigeria mostly those in rural area lack safe portable drinking water, in about 90% of the rural communities in Nigeria are lacking portable for their domestic activities. (uwais, 2004)