Water Crisis To Deepen In Sekondi-Takoradi

The Western Regional Directorate of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has said that the region is currently confronted with some challenges with respect to water supply arising from raw water unavailability. 

It says the difficulties stem from inadequate freshwater inflows into the Pra basin which serves as the raw water source for the Daboase Water Treatment Plant which is the biggest plant in the Region.

Meanwhile, the Anankware River being the source of raw water for the Inchaban Water Treatment Plant has also not been spared this poor inflow of freshwater. This was contained in a press statement issued by the GWCL and copied to igoghana.

As a result of illegal mining activities upstream of the River Pra, there is severe siltation at the plant’s intake at Daboase. This high silt deposit has significantly reduced the volume of raw water available for abstraction in the sump.

The current dry season has also compounded the problem of raw water unavailability.

The effect of this development is that the plant is unable to abstract adequate quantities of raw water for treatment and distribution.

The maximum operating level at Daboase Water Treatment Plant is 4.9m while the minimum level is 1.0m. Currently, the river level is 0.8m, at which point the plant should have been shut down, but we are managing the situation in order not to cause a severe water crisis in the metropolis. 

In view of this, the company has been compelled to commence the seasonal rationing of water in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis. 

The rationing exercise notwithstanding, there are still customers who do not receive water during their rationing period as a result of reduced pumping hours at the plant occasioned by raw water unavailability.

The company understands what cherished customers are now going through and will do everything humanly possible to keep the plant in operation.