The Ghana Water Company Limited has said that it is likely to shut down two major treatment plants in the Ashanti Region considering high turbidity resulting in increasing cost of production.
Illegal mining activity, also known as ‘galamsey’ has eaten into the Konongo and Odaso treatment plants of the Ghana Water Company Limited.
In an interview on GhanAkoma on Akoma 87.9 FM with host Sir John, Dr Hanson Mensah Akutteh. Production Manager of the company, described the current situation as worrying which is likely to deprive thousands of people access to pipe-borne water.
“Ashanti Region has 10 treatment plants; Barekese, Owabi, Mampong, Konongo, Aframso, Odaso, New Edubiase, Tepa, Agona and Effiduase Asokore. However, out of the ten, two have a challenge; Konongo and Odaso treatment plants have been invaded by illegal miners. We are unable to treat the raw water. Shutting down the plants is possible: he said.
Dr Hanson further stated that cost of production has hugely been affected “Odaso for instance should be producing 4 million gallons of water per day but, we can only abstract 1.5 million of raw water and even with that only 50% can be processed and produced as potable water, turbidity was 25 NTU, but now it is 5,124 NTUI we have reached the point of shutting down these treatment plants,” he stated.
