The Ghana Water Limited (GWL) has raised alarm over an emerging water crisis in the Ashanti Region.

According to GWL, the main sources supplying the Kumasi metropolis: the Owabi Treatment Plant and the Barekese Dam, have been severely compromised by siltation and plastic pollution.

The Owabi Treatment Plant is already about 75% clogged with fine sand and plastic waste, while Barekese Dam, the largest water supply source for Kumasi, has lost roughly 40% of its total water-holding capacity due to silt accumulation, a myjoyonline report stated.

Officials have warned that if urgent dredging and stronger environmental protection measures are not implemented, thousands of households could face severe water shortages within the next two years.

The Owabi facility, which produces about three million gallons of potable water daily, now struggles as its source water becomes increasingly polluted.

To manage the situation, workers have been deployed to regularly remove debris, but GWL says the move is not sustainable.

Chief Manager for the Ashanti Production Region, Dr Hanson Mensah-Akutteh, warned that the remaining usable water volume is dangerously low.

“The volume left on the surface of the reservoir is small and may not last even a year if there is serious climate variability,” he warned.

The report further noted that although water at the Barekese Dam appears clearer, heavy siltation has reduced its effective capacity, making it difficult to draw water from deeper levels.

GWL attributed the deterioration to human activities, including settlement expansion and farming along the catchment areas, which have led to erosion and sediment deposits in the water bodies.

“The forests have been degraded, and developments along the catchment are washing soil into the river system, heavily silting the base.

Dr Mensah-Akutteh said, “In the next two to three years, if there is significant drought, Kumasi could run out of water.”

Meanwhile, a special national security task force is expected to be deployed to protect the water bodies from further encroachment and illegal activities. ‘No Ghanaian should drink from a pit’ - Dr Ahlijah pushes for end to water crisis

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