Sanitation Minister fears galamsey may render GWCL with no water to treat

The Minister for Sanitation and Water Resource, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, has expressed grave concern over the polluted state of water bodies by galamsey activities.

According to her, the situation, if not addressed immediately, may lead to the lack of raw water for Ghana Water Company Limited to treat.

The Minister was visiting the Bonsa Water Treatment Plant in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality to have first-hand knowledge of the current state of the facility.

The Bonsa Water Treatment Plant was built in 1975. It has an installed capacity of 4,500 cubic meter a day but now has a current average daily production output of about 2,800 cubic meter a day.

The raw water source for the plant is the River Bonsa, which has now been totally polluted.

The supply area is Tarkwa township and its environs.

The supply has an estimated supply gap of 15,000 cubic meters a day.

The Plant also experiences substantial raw water reduction and heavy siltation as a result of galamsey operations on River Bonsa.

The amount of alum used at the plant has since 2009 increased from 10 bags per week to 40 bags per week due to galamsey, which has caused the colour and turbidity to deteriorate.

Cecilia Abena Dapaah was disappointed at the current state of water bodies, which she said is nothing to write home about.

She said the dire situation requires stringent measures and called on all stakeholders to join in the fight against galamsey.

Western Region Minister Kwabena Okyere Darko Mensah blamed some traditional authorities for shielding perpetrators of galamsey activities.

He warned that the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) will soon go after the perpetrators as part of an exercise to raid out galamseyers.