Hoteliers, restaurant operators, chop bar keepers, pure water dealers and some domestic water users may have been using contaminated water without their knowledge for the past one year of more!
Tanker operators “have resorted to purchase of water from any source boreholes, dirty streams, wells and waste water from car washing bays across the city” for supply to consumers.
This stomach-churning and head-splitting piece of news was relayed recently on Oman FM’s ‘Boiling Point’ programme by Mr. Broni, the leader of Water Tanker Drivers Union. The revelation sent shivers down the spines of panelists who were on the programme.
According to him, since January 2010 their union has been banned from drawing treated water for their commercial purpose. The rationale was to ensure frequent flow of potable water to designated points in the city and its suburbs.
According to Mr. Broni, this directive or measure was initiated by the National Security who swooped on them at various drawing points and removed metres and hydrants. “They asked for our receipts, we provided them. They again asked of our license which we showed them, but after everything they closed down the points and warned us to stop the practice. We have made several representations to the National Security, The Ministry of Water Resources, AMA and various assemblies but to no avail.”
Mr. Broni said the union has more than 3,500 members and they need to feed themselves, their families and relatives as well as pay various fees and rents. And, as a result of the authorities’ hard stance and imperviousness, they have resorted to the distribution of contaminated water to unsuspecting consumers.
“There is nowhere we haven’t sent petition to, but no response, apart from the bad water, the price of this contaminated water costs around GH¢150 against GH¢50 previously. Again the government uses revenue from us to develop the nation. Three of our members have died out of this situation. What is even pathetic is that water shortage and flow are still prevalent; there is no improvement anywhere in the city. So, the government must soften her stance on us.”
There has been an outbreak of cholera and dysentery in some parts of Accra recently and people are wondering whether the outbreak is not linked to the consumption of contaminated water.
Source: Public Agenda