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As part of activities marking this year’s World Water Day, the Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) on Friday took the lead in keeping its host community, Oginigba in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, clean and safe for human living.
NBC’s Public Affairs and Communications director, Ekuma Eze, noted that the exercise, which included a cleanup of the popular Slaughter Market and abattoir area, signifies NBC’s commitment to ensuring a sustainable and clean environment, safe for healthy living, in its areas of operation.
Eze said that in line with its commitment towards improving access to water for host communities, NBC held the World Water day sensitization events simultaneously in 3 locations across the country.
“Here in Port Harcourt we have been tackling the issue head on. Our plant here has a fully functional effluent treatment plant which ensures that the water discharged from our plant is completely harmless to the environment. We upgraded capacity and technology, from 1800 cubic meter/day to 2400 cubic meter per/day.
“Previously, we were using surface aeration technology which is more energy consuming and has supply of optimal dissolved oxygen for microbial activities. Now, we migrated to bio-aeration using bio-filters at the tank bottoms with automated aeration. The advantages [include] energy savings because the technology supplies the exact amount of oxygen required by the micro-organisms and cut off. Secondly, it maintains healthy biomass for the actual biodegradation of the organics in the process water.
“We have also put sand filters at the discharge end of the entire process. This enhances further purification of the water with automated Chlorine dozing for disinfection. The implication is that the quality of the water discharged exceeds local and corporate standards for maintenance of acquatic life in the recipient environment. Due to this enhancement, the business is planning to harness this water for further reuse within the operation and support any intended external use such as fish farming,” he said.
Eze noted that “plans are now well underway for the further upgrade of our water treatment facilities, to bring the water effluent up to drinking and agricultural purpose standards.”
NBC is one of the numerous companies operating in the Trans-Amadi Industrial Area that includes the popular Slaughter market, with the adjoining Oginigba River suffering the daily discharge of industrial and other waste into it.
Paramount ruler of Oginigba community, HRH Eze Dr Amb G. B. Odum commended the Nigeria Bottling Company for taking steps to ensure that the Oginigba/Slaughter River is free of pollution, while calling on other multinational companies resident in the area to emulate NBC’s initiative.
He pointed out that the discharge of industrial waste into the river, among other harmful practices, constitutes health challenges to the Oginigba people, noting that the river was their source of livelihood through fishing and water for cooking, but that “unfortunately the activities of multinationals had severely polluted the river.”
“However, with this recent initiative of NBC, I believe other multinationals will follow suit,” he said.
In separate speeches, chairman of the Rivers State House of Assembly committee on Environment, Hon. Christian Ahiakwo, and the former special adviser to the state governor on pollution control, Chief Nwuke Anucha, lauded the Nigerian Bottling Company for blazing the trail in ensuring that their operations meet up international best practices.
Assembly committee chairman, Hon. Christian Ahiakwo also commended NBC and the Oginigba community for their peaceful relationship which has seen them partner towards a healthier and cleaner environment.
Other speakers at the event include representative of the Rivers State Water Services Regulation Commission (RSWSIRC), Ekine Aberenimiya, asst. director (Health & Safety), ministry of Environment, Rivers State, Felicia D. Izu, chairman, National Butchers Association, Alhaji Musa Baba-Ahmed, and DPO, Trans Amadi Police Station, SP Danson Ayuba.
The theme for this year’s World Water Day is “Leaving no one Behind.”
