GWCL rations water in Sekondi/Takoradi metropolis - River Pra affected by illegal mining
The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has begun water rationing in the Sekond/Takoradi metropolis and other adjoining communities. The activities of illegal miners on the Pra River are said to have affected the inflow of water into the Daboase and the Bosomase intake point of the company.
Advertisement
Operations at the Bosomase intake point are also said to have been suspended due to a breakdown of a major pump at the station.
Currently, residents of the metropolis have to go through weekly water rationing, as the water levels at both the Daboase and the Bosomase intake points are below the limit.
This came to light during a guided tour of the Pra River and the water stations by officials of the GWCL.
The damage
At the time of the visit, the illegal miners were at a distance seriously carrying out their activities on the river and along its banks.
They had created an artificial island on the Pra River and expanded its banks, while those operating along the banks had also diverted the course of the river to their operational areas.
Leading the guided tour, Mr Mark Teiko Cudjoe, the Western Regional Manager of the GWCL, said the activities of the illegal miners had quadrupled the company’s operational cost.
Pumping drops
“Basically, we pump about six million gallons of water daily from the Daboase intake point and average production is pegged at 5.5 million gallons. However, as we speak now, pumping has dropped to about two million gallons,” he said.
He indicated that the situation had resulted in a deficit of more than 3.5 million gallons of water for the public, hence the need to control supply.
“The level of the water has gone down to the extent that we cannot even measure the level that we are operating now,” he stated.
Mr Cudjoe said under normal circumstances, the lowest point of collection should be about 1.5 to 1.7 metres, but it had dropped below that, adding that the GWCL could not measure the current level.
“Hitherto, the highest point of abstraction was about 4.5 metres and above, but the water level as we can see is below 1.5 metres and we must act now,” he said.
The current situation of the Daboase intake point caused by the activities of illegal miners.
Quality of water
Aside the damage done to the river by the illegal miners, he said, the quality of water had deteriorated drastically, resulting in the company spending more money to treat the water before it was distributed to consumers.