By The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has identified illegal mining activities as a primary cause of the inconsistent water supply in Accra. According to Stanley Martey, the Director of Communications at GWCL, the pollution of water bodies due to illegal mining has led to a substantial disparity between water demand and supply in the capital.
During an interview with Bernard Avle on the Citi Breakfast Show on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, Mr. Martey emphasized that water pollution has significantly hampered GWCL’s operations. He highlighted the breakdown of all pumps in areas like Nsawam, attributing it to the extraction of non-liquid materials from the water.
Mr. Martey stated that the only viable solution currently is to distribute the available water fairly among residents. Consequently, varying water supply schedules may be implemented depending on the location to manage the situation.
“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.
Moreover, Mr. Stanley Martey encouraged the public to store water as needed and emphasized the importance of promptly paying their bills. He noted that non-compliance with bill payments directly impacts GWCL’s operations.
