The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) in the Central Region has embarked on a 10-day dredging and desilting operation at the Sekyere-Hemang water treatment plant site to alleviate the acute water shortage affecting parts of the region.
The exercise aims to tackle the ongoing water scarcity crisis that has persisted for months, particularly in Cape Coast and Elmina, caused primarily by illegal mining activities (galamsey) along the Pra River at the intake canal of the plant.
A recent media tour of the plant exposed the adverse effects of galamsey activities, including the narrowing of the intake canal, water contamination, and silt accumulation in the plant's sump, significantly impeding water flow.
The dredging and desilting initiative will involve widening the canal and manually removing accumulated silts from the sump to enhance water flow to the treatment plant.
Mr. Seth Eric Atiapah, Central Regional Chief Manager of GWCL, highlighted the dire situation, noting that the turbidity level of the raw water had soared to 7,500 NTU (Nephelometric Turbidity Units), far exceeding the plant's design threshold of 500 NTU.
“This water is almost impossible to treat,” remarked Mr. Atiapah, underscoring the operational challenges posed by the high turbidity level and silt accumulation, which have resulted in a 30 percent reduction in water production.
He further explained that the situation has led to escalated production costs, particularly in energy and treatment chemicals, necessitating the use of potent yet expensive chemicals like polyelectrolytes to treat the contaminated water.
Mr. Atiapah expressed optimism that the dredging exercise would yield positive results, leading to improved water quality for treatment, thereby mitigating the operational challenges faced by GWCL.
In addition to the dredging initiative, Mr. Atiapah outlined the company's concerted efforts to combat galamsey activities in its operational areas. These efforts include community engagements to dissuade miners from polluting water bodies and collaborating with security personnel from the Western Region for special operations aimed at curbing illegal mining activities.
The GWCL remains committed to resolving the water scarcity crisis and ensuring the provision of safe and reliable water supply to the people of the Central Region.