Stinky tap water problem resolved

Accra, Sept. 15, GNA - Aqua Vitens Rand Limited (AVRL) on Monday said the source of the stinky dirty tap water problem that faced residents of parts of La and Osu in Accra had been discovered and resolved.

Communications Director of AVRL, Mr Stanley Martey, told the Ghana News Agency that the water flowing through taps now was completely wholesome and safe for drinking.

dispatch a team of experts to trace the source of the water. Mr. Martey said the problem was traced to a broken underground pipeline from the pressure of a fence wall of a house just behind where the statue of Sergeant Adjetey had been mounted at La. "The fence wall is built right on top of our pipe line and that caused it," he said.

He said as a result, waste water flowing from a nearby tie and dye manufacturer got its way into the broken pipe line and then through the taps of homes within the community.

Mr Martey said the fence wall had been demolished and the broken pipeline fixed, adding that, the infected pipeline had also been disinfected and flushed to ensure the wholesomeness of the water. "We will continue to monitor the quality of the water on daily basis for the next two weeks and we also urge residents of the community to call our toll free line 080040000 and report any water quality problem they discover," he said.

He appealed to residents of the area to desist from encroaching on space demarcated for utility purposes, saying that governments demarcated space beside every major road for utility companies to locate their facilities.

Mr Martey admitted that the water pipeline was quite old but could have survived longer if the fence wall had not been built on it. He said AVRL would assist the tie and dye company to properly channel its waste water into the drainage system within the area. "We want to allay the fears of the public that there is no need for panic because the problem was within a small area and nothing more," he said.

He also assured the public that AVRL would continue with its routine monitoring activities to ensure that the water quality was always the best.

"We wish to thank the media, particular GNA, for their support during our effort to resolve the problem," he said. Mrs. Sandra Ollenu, a resident of the house where the GNA first discovered the water problem confirmed that the water flowing through their tap was now clean and wholesome. 15 Sept. 08