Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) says the illegal mining (galamsey) activities in the Western Region make the production of water tough each day.
According to GWCL, the region was using 20 gallons of alums to treat water in the region but it has now shot up to 60 gallons of alums each day because of the bad nature of water bodies due to galamsey activities.
Speaking on the Morning Starr with Francis Abban Monday, the Central and Western Regional Communications Manager for GWCL, Nana Yaw Baanie said “the situation is really getting worse” adding that, the government is losing the fight against galamsey in the region and urgent steps must be taken to salvage the situation.
According to him, if the operation of illegal mining had really stopped the water bodies should be clear by now but that is not the case in the region.
“The color is over 9,000NTU and then the turbidity is 3,000 so this is what Ghana Water will have to deal with. We are supposed to reduce these figures to five (5) in order to make the water potable. That is the guideline we have been given. So this is our story in Takoradi Daboase to be specific where we get water from the Pra.
“If there should be anything that can be done it must be done now and it must be drastic. Recently, my boss Stanley Mantey said a time will come when Ghana Water Company will cease operation, yes. It may be coming very soon but we don’t know when,” Mr. Baanie stated.
He continued: “Because if it comes to a point that the water is untreatable what do we do? When we stop operation for even one day in Sekondi Takoradi can you imagine what will happen? We have a big hospital at Effia Nkwantan and when we should stop operations where will they get water? The Universities and the second cycle schools what will happen if we stop operation?”
He said the galamseyers were operating close to GWCL operation point at Daboase but when the ban of galamsey was announced they moved.
However, he claimed their analysis shows that the galamsey activities are still ongoing despite a national crusade to fight the menace.