By Hannah Dadzie
The Ghana Water Company Limited, GWCL says water supply to communities affected by the Spillage of Akosombo and Kpong Dams will not be contaminated by the debris from the Spillage including mortuaries.
GWCL said this in reaction to reports that debris from the spillage could contaminate water supply to the affected areas.
Speaking at a media briefing and exhibition dubbed “Accounting to our Customers” in Accra, Deputy Managing Director of Operations, Peter Deveer said they are treating the water that comes from those areas, saying there is no cause for alarm. He said one of its systems from the Kpong Treatment Plant was shut down for some days to monitor the turbidity level of water, due the spillage of the Akosombo and Kpong Dams, adding that water has been restored to communities which were cut off.
*When the incident happened a day or two after, it overwhelmed our treatment plant at Kpong so a day or two after we have to shut one system for two days for us to monitor the situation for the turbidity level to come down, because it went so high that the plant could not handle it, but thank God the situation is back to normal so we are operating normal at Kpong. The mortuaries and the cemetery being overwhelmed, we are still treating the waters that come from those areas, we have the capacity to treat waters that come from such sources so there’s no call for alarm,” Ing Deveer indicated.
The Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Dr. Freda Prempeh who described the havoc that the spillage has caused as unfortunate, said the extent of damage caused by the spillage could have been avoided if the communities had heeded to advice and education from authorities.
“The Akosombo spillage, even though VRA, NADMO, the Water Resources Commission come together to educate the people in the community, there were simulation exercises with them even at Mepe yet they refused to leave, they didn’t want to evacuate. They stayed there till the end when we started spilling unfortunately look at what is happening the whole area the water is contaminated and what Ghana Water and Water Resources Commission will have to spend millions of money to treat our water before we pass it through our pipes.” Dr Prempeh said.
She was of the firm believe that the Ghana Water Company Limited, will provide quality water to the affected communities and Ghanaians as a whole.
“we don’t want any of such thing to happen to us and you know let’s us all come together and ensure we have safe drinking water so help is to protect and preserve our water so that we can also order you clean safe drinking water,” The Sanitation Minister said.
Meanwhile a section of the public have taken to social media to criticize the Minister’s stance, emphasizing the hardship faced by the flood victims, the majority of whom are now displaced and in dire need of assistance. Her statement has drawn condemnation from the public, who are accusing her of being insensitive.
