The Ghana Water Company (GWCL) has attributed the erratic water supply in Accra to the pollution of water bodies, largely caused by illegal mining activities.
According to Stanley Martey, Director of Communications at GWCL, the pollution has resulted in a significant gap between water demand and supply in the capital city.
Mr Martey stated that pollution of water bodies has severely impacted GWCL’s operations, with all pumps in places such as Nsawam currently broken down due to the extraction of non-liquid materials from the water.
He explained that the only solution available is to share the water equitably among residents, which may result in varying water supply schedules depending on location.
“In Accra, we have a very huge gap between demand and supply. So, the only way to solve that is to share the water equitably for everybody to get some of the water, which means that, depending on where you live you can get water 24/7 for five to six days or even once a week. But if you are saving, you should be able to survive.
“Because of the pollution of our water bodies, it is affecting us seriously. I’ve heard people call from Pokuase, Amasaman and all. For instance, the water in Nsawam is so polluted that we have to extract materials that are not liquid and this affects the pump. So, at the moment all of our pumps in Nsawam have broken down… pollution of our water body is affecting us,” he stated.
Additionally, Mr. Stanley Martey urged the public to store water when necessary and also pay their bills promptly, as non-compliance with bill payments directly affects GWCL’s operations.
