From dry taps to running water: Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s water legacy

For generations, the reliability of public water supply has remained one of the most persistent challenges to Kano’s development. Throughout the ancient city, surrounding communities and sprawling housing estates, families endured erratic supplies, long searches for water and the uncertainty of when their taps would work again. For many residents, access to water has become a daily struggle rather than a basic public service.

This reality is beginning to change under Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, as the restoration of the state’s water infrastructure shifts from construction to service delivery; With the Challawa and Tamburawa treatment plants and associated pumping stations declared 100% complete, a successful test conducted and the water flow commencing, Kano has reached a significant milestone in its efforts to restore a reliable public water supply and system.

The achievement is important, but its real value lies in what it means for ordinary Bakano. Water doesn’t simply have to be treated and pumped; it must constantly reach homes, schools, hospitals, markets and businesses. The administration’s next task is therefore to translate the restored infrastructure into a reliable and consistent supply for the communities that depend on it.

Significantly, the test highlighted reticulation problems in parts of the distribution network in many locations across the state due to non-use of pipes. These are now being resolved. Rather than belittling your accomplishments, identifying these gaps provides a practical basis for targeted repairs and improvements. The ultimate measure of success will be how effectively the government closes these gaps and extends the benefits of restored structures to disadvantaged neighborhoods and communities.

For communities such as Dukawa, Kofar Wambai and Shehi, as well as semi-urban settlements and new pipelines around Tamburawa, the expectation is clear: water should flow reliably, safely and affordably. The completion of the treatment plants represents an important step; ensuring that the distribution network delivers its products to the intended users is the test that follows.

The benefits of a reliable water supply go far beyond home convenience. Children can spend less time fetching water and more time learning. Families can reduce their reliance on expensive alternatives, healthcare facilities can improve hygiene, and small businesses can operate with fewer disruptions. Investment in water is therefore an investment in public health, education, productivity, human dignity and prosperity.

sacrosanct, the restoration of infrastructure must not be confused with the complete resolution of Kano’s water challenges. The state’s population growth, urban expansion, and the ongoing costs of operating and maintaining major facilities require constant attention. Therefore, regular maintenance of equipment, monitoring of water quality, timely repairs of pipes and transparent reporting on service delivery will be essential to prevent a return to the deficiencies that residents have needlessly endured for years.

This is where the question of sustainability beyond 2031 becomes critical. Water infrastructure is a long-term public good, not a temporary political project as Governor Abba has always advocated. Its benefits must survive changes in government. The Yusuf administration is therefore establishing a durable maintenance system, ensuring predictable operational funding, strengthening technical capacity, and ensuring that future governments inherit functioning facilities rather than infrastructure that needs another round of rehabilitation.

Citizens also have a critical role to play in protecting public pipelines, boreholes and other facilities from vandalism and abuse. But public participation must complement, not replace, government responsibility for maintaining infrastructure and providing transparent and accountable services.

Ultimately, government performance is not measured by projects completed on paper but by improvements in people’s daily lives, as we have seen in many industries. The Kano water intervention will be judged on the number of families receiving reliable supplies today and whether such service will continue in the years and decades to come.

The journey from dry taps to running water has begun. The task now is to close remaining distribution gaps, sustain momentum beyond 2031, and make reliable water supplies a lasting reality for every community. This is a legacy worth building by the governor and a promise worthy of Kano First.

-Farida Usman wrote from Kano. It can be reached at [email protected].