The Lagos State Government has denied introducing a new tax on privately owned boreholes, dismissing reports suggesting that residents would be required to pay a newly imposed levy for extracting groundwater.
The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said the ongoing exercise was aimed at regulating borehole drilling and groundwater abstraction rather than introducing a new tax policy.
In a statement issued on Saturday, November 7, Wahab maintained that the government was enforcing existing environmental and water resource management laws, particularly Section 312(1)(XVII) of the Environmental Management and Protection Law (EMPL) 2017.
He explained that the provision empowers the Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission (LAWRECO) to regulate indiscriminate borehole drilling activities across the state.
According to him, the regulation is necessary to ensure sustainable groundwater management and prevent environmental challenges associated with uncontrolled drilling and extraction.
Wahab noted that groundwater regulation was a globally accepted practice designed to protect underground water resources, prevent contamination, mitigate land subsidence and guarantee long-term water security.
He added that the Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission (LASWARCO), the agency responsible for groundwater regulation, had intensified efforts to ensure compliance with existing permit requirements.
The commissioner rejected the description of the exercise as a newly introduced borehole tax, insisting that the government’s actions had been misrepresented.
“The characterisation of regulatory compliance measures as a newly introduced ‘borehole tax’ is inaccurate and does not reflect the policy being implemented,” he said.
Acknowledging the difficulties residents face in accessing potable water, Wahab said the state government remained committed to investing in water infrastructure to expand public water supply across Lagos.
He urged residents to obtain information about government policies through official communication channels rather than relying on unverified social media reports.
“While public scrutiny of government policies is welcome, it is important that discussions are based on verified facts,” he stated.
However, the government’s position has generated opposition from a coalition of more than 50 organisations operating under the Our Water Our Right Africa Coalition (OWORAC), which has threatened coordinated mass action across Lagos if authorities attempt to seal residential boreholes or prosecute residents for extracting groundwater without authorisation.
The coalition’s warning followed an earlier announcement attributed to LASWARCO Executive Secretary, Oluwabukola Adeyemo, cautioning residents that drilling boreholes and extracting groundwater without the necessary government permits could attract the sealing of facilities and criminal prosecution.
The groups, however, argued that the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law 2017 expressly exempts domestic boreholes from licensing requirements.
They specifically cited Section 253(1) of the law, which they said permits residents to construct or extend wells and boreholes within residential premises for household water supply without obtaining a licence.
The coalition also referenced Section 259(2), arguing that the provision requires authorisation for boreholes intended for commercial and industrial purposes rather than those used for domestic purposes.
The organisations accused the Lagos State Government of threatening households that have been forced to depend on privately drilled boreholes because of inadequate public water infrastructure.
Citing figures attributed to the Lagos Water Corporation, the coalition said the public utility had only 34,424 registered connections, representing approximately 1.03 per cent direct coverage in a state with more than 20 million residents.
It further argued that even when connections serving multiple households were considered, the public water network reached only about 8.3 per cent of the population, leaving the overwhelming majority dependent on alternative water sources.
The coalition questioned what it described as the government’s approach to regulating ordinary residents while allegedly allowing multinational companies involved in large-scale groundwater extraction years of engagement over regulatory compliance.
It called on the state government to clarify its position on domestic boreholes, rehabilitate existing waterworks, expand access to safe public water and direct stricter enforcement towards large-scale commercial water extractors and industrial polluters.
The groups also opposed moves to privatise the Lagos Water Corporation, insisting that access to water should remain a fundamental public service rather than become a privilege determined by residents’ financial capacity.
They warned that any attempt by LASWARCO or government task forces to enter residential communities, demand permits or seal domestic boreholes would trigger legal action and coordinated mass resistance across Lagos.
The coalition maintained that residents should not be subjected to punitive measures for seeking alternative water sources in the face of inadequate public water supply.
Despite the growing opposition, the Lagos State Government reiterated its commitment to transparent engagement, environmental sustainability and improved service delivery, insisting that its groundwater regulation exercise was an enforcement of existing laws and not the introduction of a new tax regime.