GWCL restores water supply to Oda, other areas
The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has restored water supply to Akyem Oda, Kade, Akwatia, Boadua and their environs after it had shut down supply due to the flood water that damaged the water installation system at Oda.
The temporary shutdown — compelled by the extensive damage to five pump machines — deprived over 50 beneficiary communities of water supply in the Birim Central and Kwaebibirem municipalities and the Asene-Manso-Akroso and Denkyembour districts for about two weeks.
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The Station Manager of the GWCL at the Oda water treatment installation, David Agbodzi, told the Daily Graphic that restoration of service to the communities was completed last Saturday after mechanical and electrical engineers had successfully rehabilitated one of the five pumps for use.
He said the shutdown on October 2, 2022, occurred when the Kasaawere stream, a tributary of the Birim River, overflowed its banks and flooded the pump house, resulting in the submerging of the entire installation.
Embankment
Mr Agbodzi said the problem compelled the GWCL to stop water production, thereby affecting distribution to the beneficiary communities.
He said an embankment was created to control the flood water to the pump house after which the flood water was pumped out over the embankment to allow the engineers to do assessment on the installation.
Mr Agbodzi said the engineers’ findings were that the whole installation was damaged by the flood water and needed replacement.
He said management provided installation for one pump, which was currently in use to supply water to the public.
He said plans were underway to rehabilitate the other four pumps.
Mr Agbodzi could, however, not provide the estimated cost of the repair and rehabilitation except to say that “it was huge investment”.
He said when water supply was shut down, the GWCL management procured water tankers to serve schools, health facilities, police stations and barracks.
Mr Agbodzi revealed that but for the dam at Oda, which absorbed much of the rain water, the impact of the flood would have been greater on the Oda community.
