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The short answer
Piped water in Kano comes from the Kano State Water Board, including the Challawa and Tamburawa treatment plants, but supply has been unreliable in parts of the city, and many households rely on boreholes, hand pumps and water vendors. Vendor prices change with fuel and season; a 2020 report put a 25-litre keg at ₦30 in Kano, and costs are higher now. Ask neighbours and the board about your street before you rent.
Who supplies water in Kano
The Kano State Water Board runs the public piped supply. A Guardian report of 21 July 2020 said the board attributed scarcity at that time to a sharp drop in power to its Challawa and Tamburawa treatment plants; KEDCO disputed that and said those plants received power for 20 to 23 hours a day. Whatever the cause, residents of Kano Municipal, Dala, Nasarawa, Tarauni, Gwale and Fagge local government areas told the paper their taps had been dry for weeks, that hand pumps were overstretched and that children queued for hours.
That report is from 2020 and supply may have changed since, but it shows why water is one of the first things to check when you choose a house in Kano.
How to tell whether the board serves your street
- Ask neighbours how many days a week the tap runs and at what time.
- Look for a board connection and meter at the house, and ask the landlord whether bills are paid up.
- Visit or call the Water Board's area office to ask about supply in your area and how to connect.
- Ask whether there is a storage tank and pump, since pressure is often low even when water runs.
The alternatives and their costs
| Source | How it works | Main costs |
|---|---|---|
| Water vendors | Vendors push carts of 25-litre kegs and sell by the keg | Price per keg, which rises in the dry season and when fuel goes up |
| Tanker delivery | A truck fills your overhead or underground tank | Price per load, which depends on size and distance |
| Borehole | A well drilled on the property with a pump | Drilling, pump, tank and power to run the pump |
| Hand pumps and community boreholes | Public or shared supply | Time spent queuing; sometimes a small contribution |
The 2020 Guardian report quoted a resident saying a 25-litre keg had risen from ₦20 to ₦30. We have no newer official figure. Costs have risen since, partly because pumping and transport depend on fuel. A Daily Trust report of April 2022 noted that diesel in Kano had gone from about ₦200 to ₦300 a litre to over ₦700, which feeds directly into borehole pumping and tanker prices.
Worked example: a monthly water budget
All prices below are invented for planning. Ask local vendors for today's prices.
| Item | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Household of five uses 20 kegs a week from vendors | Example | 20 kegs |
| Price per keg (example) | ₦100 | ₦2,000 a week |
| Four weeks | ₦2,000 x 4 | ₦8,000 |
| Drinking water: two bags a week at ₦500 (example) | ₦500 x 2 x 4 | ₦4,000 |
| Monthly total | ₦12,000 |
₦8,000 + ₦4,000 = ₦12,000 a month, or ₦144,000 a year. In the dry season, if the keg price rose to ₦150, the vendor line would be 20 x ₦150 x 4 = ₦12,000 and the month ₦16,000.
Is a borehole worth it?
A borehole costs a lot up front: drilling, casing, a pump, a tank and the power to run it. Whether it pays depends on how much you would otherwise spend on vendors and how long you will stay. As an example only, a ₦1,500,000 borehole that replaces ₦12,000 a month of vendor water would take about 125 months, over ten years, to pay back before running costs, which is why it makes more sense for owners and larger compounds than for tenants. If you are renting, ask the landlord who pays for pump repairs and power before you sign. Our guide to rent in Kano covers other checks.
Keeping water safe
- Store water in covered, clean containers and wash tanks regularly.
- Ask where a vendor fills the kegs; residents in the 2020 report considered vendor water unwholesome.
- Treat or boil water for drinking if you are unsure of the source.
- Keep boreholes away from septic tanks and test the water if you can.
Sharing costs in a compound
In compounds with several households, water costs are a common source of disputes. Agree in writing how a shared borehole's power and repairs are split, for example by number of people per household, and keep a simple record of payments. Where one tenant buys tanker water for a shared tank, agree in advance how the cost is shared.
For a tanker, agree the price per load and the tank size before the truck arrives, and check the tank is clean before it is filled. Ask whether the price includes pumping into an overhead tank.
Water, power and waste are worth adding to any moving budget; see the costs of moving house.
Where Pryme fits
Electricity for a pump is one of the hidden costs of a borehole. You can buy electricity units in the Pryme app; see electricity. Setting aside a little each month in a Naira Savings Box helps with repairs to a pump or tank; see Savings Boxes. Our guide to buying KEDCO tokens in Kano explains prepaid units.
Questions people ask
Does Kano State Water Board supply my area?
Supply varies by street and has been unreliable in parts of the city. Ask neighbours how often the tap runs and check with the board's area office.
How much is a keg of water in Kano?
A 2020 Guardian report quoted ₦30 for a 25-litre keg, up from ₦20. Prices have risen since with fuel costs; ask local vendors for today's price.
Is it worth drilling a borehole in Kano?
It can be for owners or large compounds who would otherwise buy a lot of water. For a tenant, the payback period is usually too long.
Why is there water scarcity in Kano?
In 2020 the Water Board blamed reduced power to its Challawa and Tamburawa plants, which KEDCO disputed. Local distribution and pressure problems may also play a part; ask the board about your area.
Sources
- The Guardian Nigeria: Kano residents bemoan acute water scarcity (21 Jul 2020) · accessed Oct 2026
- Daily Trust: Unresolved issues trail Kano's switch to private firm for waste management (23 Apr 2022) · accessed Oct 2026
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