{"id":742610,"date":"2022-01-10T07:51:31","date_gmt":"2022-01-10T07:51:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2022\/01\/10\/water-shortage-hits-cape-coast-gwcl-blames-galamsey-activities\/"},"modified":"2022-01-10T07:51:31","modified_gmt":"2022-01-10T07:51:31","slug":"water-shortage-hits-cape-coast-gwcl-blames-galamsey-activities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2022\/01\/10\/water-shortage-hits-cape-coast-gwcl-blames-galamsey-activities\/","title":{"rendered":"Water shortage hits Cape Coast; GWCL blames galamsey activities"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"\"
Water shortage<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Water shortage has hit Cape Coast and surrounding towns in the Central Region due to illegal mining activities affecting River Pra.<\/p>\n

According to the Ghana Water Company, residents now hunt for water as the taps have run dry. This is because the Sekyere-Hemang water treatment plant keeps battling for water with galamsey miners.<\/p>\n

The residents say water has not passed through their taps for days; making life unbearable for them.<\/p>\n

The treatment plant in the Western region, built in 2008 at a cost of \u20ac40 million, takes water from a portion of the 240km Pra River and treats it for onward pumping into Brimsu waterworks in Cape coast.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

From the waterworks, about 2million gallons of water will then be pumped for residents in Cape Coast and its environs. This is on a daily basis.<\/p>\n

Cape Coast and its environs hold about 300,000 residents and the consequence of the galamsey activities is at least half of the city and its environs going without water.<\/p>\n

\"Water
Current raw water level at Sekyere Hemang Headworks intake<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

According to the Ghana Water Company, the river\u2019s waterbed is left unsettled whiles poisonous chemicals are drained into the river.<\/p>\n

Central Regional distribution Manager of GWCL, Thomas Amenya, explains that the galamsey activities have made siltation and turgidity checks very difficult.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are having very low levels at Sekyere Hemang Headworks as a result of heavy siltation (due to illegal mining activities). We are compelled to occasionally shut down to do desilting to enable us build requisite levels,\u201d he explained. <\/p>\n

He indicated that as a result, Cape Coast and its environs may be experiencing \u201cno or low\u201d flow at a point and \u201cwants residents to bear with them\u201d.<\/p>\n

Mr. Amenya further avers: \u201cLack of constant supply from Sekyere Hermang Headworks to augment that of Brimsu Headworks means almost 40% shortfall in the total production volumes for Cape Coast township.\u201d<\/p>\n

He is, therefore, entreating residents to bear with the company whiles measures are put in place to resolve the production challenges.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n