Various professional groups such as Nigeria Society of Engineers, Institute of Architects, Institute of Landscape Architects, Institute of Surveyors, Institute of Town Planners, and environmentalists have proffered ways of combating flood in Owerri.
Owerri metropolis is easily over taken by massive flood whenever there is a little downpour.
At a meeting with the State Governor, Hon.Emeka Ihedioha held at Government House, Owerri, on Tuesday, the groups after brainstorming on the issue made the following recommendations:
Develop five retention basins and two intake structures located along Dick Tiger and at end of Chukwuma Nwoha and channel them through tunnelling to the river.
Interconnect all the drainage Channels at about 62 points in Owerri capital.
Realign the shallow drains to connect back to appropriate discharge points.
De silt Lake Nwaebere so as to receive proper flow.
Open up/re open the tunnel lines that was wrongly closed during illegal or wrong construction activities
Open up the drain along Old Okigwe Road opposite former CCB building.
Remove all illegal structures along the green verge.
Dredge or develop the Otammiri/Nworie discharge point.
Rebuild illegally destroyed tunnel discharge points located at the River banks.
Check all illegal dumping of refuse into drainage lines and green verge
Discourse all illegal sand mining along our river banks.
Discourage all illegal sand mining along our river banks.
Remove all buildings which seats on the created line tunnels and retention basins.
Reintroduction of a road maintenance team to take care of the roads.
Construction of well designed detention and infiltration pit at appropriate locations.
Adopting good waste management practices, collection, segregation, recycling, re use.
Enforcement of building regulations
Improvement of structural integrity of road networks in the metropolis.
Governor Ihedioha assured that prompt action will be taken to tackle flood menace in the city.
