Accra, Oct. 8, GNA - Aqua Vitens Rand Limited (AVRL) will shut down the Weija Water Treatment Plant in Accra on Thursday, October 9 and on Tuesday October 14, 2008 to complete expansion works.

A statement from AVRL said the shut down would last from 0600 hours to 1900 hours both days.

It said due to the shut down, water supply to Western Accra, including Weija, Bortianor, Dansoman, Mataheko, Mamprobi, Chorkor, Korle Bu, James Town, Adabraka, Asylum Down, Circle, Lartebiokoshie, Awudome, Abossey Okai, Kaneshie, Darkuman and Bubuashie would be disrupted. Others are Mallam, Gbawe, Awoshie, Sowutuom, Israel, Abeka- Lapaz, parts of Achimota and Tesano.

"Managements of AVRL and Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) are collaborating to make the purpose of the shut down successful," it said. The statement said in order to minimise the impact of the exercise, Management of AVRL wished to advice customers in the affected areas to store water ahead of the shut down.

It noted that the Weija water production capacity of 42 million gallons daily was inadequate to meet the demand of the communities in the West of Accra, while the 40 million gallons daily from the Kpong Treatment Plant was also unable to meet the demand of its supply area in Accra east, due to rapid housing and industrial development taking place between Tema and Accra.

"That is why in January 2007, the Ghana Water Company, on behalf of Government, started work on a US$32million project known as East-West Interconnection, to expand the Weija Treatment Plant and also transfer water from there to the Accra Booster Station at Okponglo." The statement said the project, which was at the final phase, was expected to improve water supply in the metropolis and serve over 823,000 people. The communities which would benefit include Madina, Adenta and settlements along Dodowa, Aburi roads; Cantonments, Labone, La, Teshie, Ashalley Botwe, Adjirigano, East Legon, Dome, Achimota, Taifa, Kwabenya, and the developing settlements along the Nsawam road.