The Sekyere Hemang Water Treatment Plant in the Central Region faces an imminent shutdown due to severe pollution of its water sources, warns Nana Yaw Barima Barnie, the Communications Manager for the Western and Central regions of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL).
Mr. Barnie expressed deep concern over the alarming state of water bodies in the region, highlighting the critical situation during an interview on Top Story on Friday, August 30.
Mr. Barnie lamented the prioritization of monetary gain over public health, stating that the pollution of drinking water sources is tantamount to poisoning the population.
“We are treating water and getting only a quarter of the capacity of the plant… People will now have to be running helter-skelter looking for where they can get water,” he cautioned, indicating that the situation is nearing a breaking point.
The ongoing illegal mining activities, commonly known as “galamsey,” have severely contaminated the Pra River, which serves as the primary source of raw water for the Sekyere Hemang Water Treatment Plant.
The extent of the pollution has rendered traditional water treatment methods, such as the use of aluminum sulfate, ineffective.
Mr. Barnie revealed that the GWCL has been forced to adopt more expensive alternatives like polyelectrolyte, significantly increasing the cost of water treatment.
“We are spending four times more than what we were spending in the past when we were using alum. We are now spending four times more now that we are using polyelectrolyte because that is more expensive,” he explained.
The challenges have already led to disruptions in water supply to Cape Coast, Elmina, and surrounding communities, as announced by the Central Regional Office of the GWCL in a press statement on Friday, August 30.
The statement noted that the Sekyere Hemang Water Treatment Plant is currently operating at only a quarter of its installed capacity, producing about 7,500m³/day, a drastic reduction that has caused significant inconvenience to customers.
Given the current trajectory, Mr. Barnie warned that the situation could deteriorate further, leading to a complete shutdown of the Sekyere Hemang Water Treatment Plant.
He stressed that if the pollution is not addressed urgently, the GWCL may no longer be able to continue treating water in the region, leaving residents without a reliable source of clean water.
The potential shutdown of the Sekyere Hemang plant underscores the urgent need for effective measures to combat illegal mining and protect water bodies in Ghana.
Without immediate intervention, the region could face a severe water crisis, forcing residents to scramble for alternative sources of drinking water.