‘Galamsey’ threatening water supply; rationing imminent – Water Research Institute
29th June 2021
An impact assessment report on the quality and quantity of water across the country by the Water Research Institute shows that Ghana may be forced to ration or import water in the coming months.
The report cited illegal mining as the main cause of the pollution of major water bodies that are processed by the Ghana Water Company Limited.
The report, which was conducted between 2008 and 2021, indicates that the worst water bodies were the Pra, Ankoborah, Tano, Oda, Offin, and Birim rivers.
The Head of the Ground Water Division at the Water Research Institute, Dr. Anthony A. Duah, with excerpts of the report on the Impact of Galamsey on Water Quality, said, “Galamsey activities pose serious threats to our water bodies and environment. The quality of our water bodies is constantly being affected. If nothing is done about the situation, we are going to have a situation where we will either be forced to ration water or import it.”
“GWCL is facing severe problems in their water treatment facility in the Ashanti, Western, Eastern and Western North Regions because of low production and heavily polluted water in the treatment plants.”
Meanwhile, the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) says over 140,000 people in Odaso and Obuasi in the Ashanti Region, have limited access to water on a daily basis as a result of illegal mining.
According to the company, it has drastically reduced the volumes of water sent to households in these areas because galamsey is directly affecting its production and general operations.
Citing the current situation in Odaso and Obuasi, the company says it has reduced its output from four million gallons of water a day to just a million gallons a day.
The Managing Director of the Ghana Water Company, Ing. Dr. Clifford Braimah, said the company’s operations are being affected heavily by illegal mining.
Ing. Braimah stated that the company is also currently absorbing the cost of the new chemicals because it does not have the power to translate these expenses into the bills of consumers.
Source: citifmonline