There is an imminent water crisis if immediate measures are not taken to curb the destructive impact of illegal mining activities, commonly known as galamsey, according to the Managing Director of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), Dr. Clifford Braimah.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, Dr. Braimah issued a stark warning about the potential consequences of ongoing water treatment inefficiencies exacerbated by rampant pollution from galamsey operations.
Dr. Braimah expressed deep concern over the escalating volumes of water loss during the treatment process, which have far surpassed acceptable levels. He explained that while the ideal water loss in treatment plants should be around 5%, current losses range between 35% and 50%, a situation he described as “very harmful to our health.”
“The process losses that we are supposed to have on our plant should be 5% or less, but now we are having between 35% to 50% process loss,” Dr. Braimah stated.
He warned that if the situation persists, Ghana could face a future where access to safe drinking water is severely compromised. “We might not even have water,” he cautioned, underscoring the urgency of the issue.
The impact of galamsey on water treatment is profound, with Dr. Braimah highlighting that instead of 95% of treated water reaching customers, only 50% to 55% is currently being delivered. This reduction in water supply is compounded by the increased costs associated with maintaining even this diminished output.
“To even get this 50% or 55%, you have to use more chemicals—more expensive chemicals—to achieve that,” he noted, stressing the unsustainable nature of the current approach.
Dr. Braimah emphasized the critical need for immediate action, urging both citizens and authorities to move beyond political rhetoric and confront the reality of the situation. “Our rhetoric needs to go beyond the political jargons to the reality that citizens must take control over their lives,” he asserted.
While the current water treatment process remains effective in removing harmful elements, Dr. Braimah warned that the continued accumulation of pollutants from galamsey could eventually overwhelm the system.
“It does not mean that once it continues to accumulate, we are not going to get to the levels that we might not be able to do professional treatment to work,” he explained. The ongoing pollution, if left unchecked, could lead to levels that the treatment system cannot handle, posing a dire threat to the nation’s water supply.
Dr. Braimah called on Ghanaians to take the situation seriously and work collectively to prevent further pollution. “The caution is very critical for us to take up and ensure that we do not continue to pollute, so that we will get to levels that are not tolerable to the system, that can create problems for us,” he urged.
When questioned about how long it might take for the situation to reach a critical point, Dr. Braimah admitted it is difficult to predict, noting that detailed analyses have yet to be conducted. He suggested that the Water Resources Commission might have more specific information on the timeline for potential disaster.
In a related development, the GWCL has provided clarification on the ongoing water shortages in the Central and Western regions, pointing to the compounding effects of pollution and treatment inefficiencies.