The Public Relations Officer of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), Nuolare Mba Nwigoh, has refuted reports that a water tank in the Ebubu community of Rivers State collapsed, insisting the facility only ruptured.
Speaking on Nigeria Info FM’s Morning Crossfire, Nwigoh explained that HYPREP deploys two categories of water installations—ground-level tanks and elevated tanks—and that the exact cause of the incident is yet to be determined. He added that security personnel have been dispatched to secure the site while investigations are ongoing.
Nwigoh also dismissed suggestions that the agency uses substandard materials, stressing that all components used in its water projects meet approved standards. 
However, a journalist from Eleme Local Government Area, Emmanuel Nwafor, disputed HYPREP’s position. He claimed the agency had yet to assess the extent of damage at the scene. According to him, the water tank came down with a loud, explosive sound, destroying school buildings, poultry farms, and perimeter fences. He further stated that the resulting water surge flooded nearby homes and farmlands.
The incident comes barely three weeks after a similar water project failed in Gwara community, where a tank collapsed just four days after being commissioned by the Minister of Environment.
