The Lagos State Government has denied introducing a new tax on private boreholes, insisting that its regulation of groundwater extraction is aimed at protecting the environment and public health.
The government said the recent directive by the Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission (LASWARCO) requiring authorisation for borehole drilling and groundwater extraction should not be interpreted as a new tax on residents.
The clarification follows public concerns over a warning by LASWARCO Executive Secretary, Oluwabukola Adeyemo, that unauthorised borehole operators risk having their facilities sealed and facing prosecution.
Adeyemo said the commission was empowered by the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law, 2017, to regulate borehole drilling and groundwater extraction.
She warned that unregulated activities could contaminate underground water, contribute to land subsidence and threaten the state's long-term water supply.
“Drilling or abstracting groundwater without LASWARCO authorisation is illegal and punishable under the Law,” she said.
However, the government said the exercise was regulatory, not a revenue-generating measure.
The development has attracted criticism from the Our Water Our Right Africa Coalition, which threatened mass action if authorities attempt to seal residential boreholes.
The coalition argued that Section 253(1) of the 2017 law exempts household boreholes from licensing requirements, while Section 259(2) requires authorisation for boreholes used for purposes other than domestic supply.
It also said inadequate public water supply had forced many residents to depend on privately funded boreholes.
The coalition urged the government to clarify the exemptions and improve public water infrastructure rather than punish households.
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