The Lagos State Wastewater Management Office (LSWMO) already registers sewage treatment plants, samples their effluent each year and recertifies those that pass. This proposal builds on that foundation.
The problems
1. A yearly sample is a snapshot, not a record. It shows how a plant performed on one day, not on the other 364. Treatment plants are biological systems that depend on daily operation: aeration, pumping, and dosing. A plant can pass in one month and fail the next without anyone knowing. Operating costs such as diesel, power and maintenance make this worse.
2. On-site systems such as biodigesters are widely used, but their performance in waterlogged, high water table and flood-prone parts of Lagos has not been established through local testing. In these areas, effluent may not infiltrate, floodwater can overwhelm the system, and untreated waste can reach drains, boreholes and water bodies, which is a direct public health concern.
Proposed supporting regulation
1. Each registered plant has a named, certified operator, since certifying the plant is not the same as certifying the person running it.
2. A public register of recertified plants, so residents, tenants and buyers can verify compliance.
3. Building and occupancy permit renewals linked to valid LSWMO recertification.
4. A state-supported research and pilot programme, with universities or professional bodies, to test biodigester performance across Lagos ground conditions, including waterlogged and flood-prone areas.
5. Site-specific approval criteria, such as water table and flood risk, for on-site systems, based on the research findings.
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