Residents in Sunyani, the Bono Regional capital, are growing increasingly frustrated and desperate over the persistent water crisis that has left taps in many homes dry for weeks, disrupting daily life and forcing families to struggle for access to clean water.

In several homes across Sunyani, anxious residents sit beside empty buckets, gallons, and water drums, patiently waiting and hoping for water to finally flow through their pipes after days of dry taps.

For many families, the crisis has become part of their daily routine, with residents waking up before dawn to search for water from mechanised boreholes, streams, and private vendors for cooking, bathing, and other domestic activities.

The worsening situation has affected several areas such as Penkwase, Nkwabeng, Zongo, Abetifi Zongo, New Town, Area 1, Area 2, Berlin Top, Abesim and Estate, where residents say the irregular and unreliable water supply has become a major burden on households, businesses, and schools.

For Madam Cecilia Frimpomaa, a resident of New Town, the persistent water shortage has turned everyday life into a constant struggle as the continuous dry taps have disrupted basic household activities, forcing her family to spend long hours searching for water for cooking, bathing, washing, and other domestic chores.

“For almost one month now, not even a drop of water has come through our pipes. We spend hours searching for water every day before we can cook or bathe,” she lamented.

Another resident, Kofi Yeboah, noted that the worsening water crisis is taking a heavy toll not only on households but also on businesses that depend heavily on a reliable water supply for their daily operations.

“The taps are completely dry, yet bills still come every month. We now have to look for water from other sources at very high prices,” he said.

Galamsey takes a heavy toll

As residents continue to endure the worsening water shortages, the crisis has been linked to the destructive impact of illegal mining activities, popularly known as galamsey, on the Tano River, which serves as a source of drinking water for the people of Sunyani and beyond.

The once-clear river has become heavily polluted with muddy sediments and mining waste, raising concerns about the water supply and long-term environmental consequences of illegal mining activities along the river.

A source at the Brong Ahafo Regional Office of the Ghana Water Limited (GWL), who spoke on condition of strict anonymity, disclosed that the increasing contamination of the river, largely linked to illegal mining activities on the Rivers Bisi and Nyaase, both major tributaries of the Tano River, has significantly affected the quality of raw water needed for treatment and distribution.

The source emphasised that the unfortunate situation has forced the GWL to either scale down operations or temporarily shut down some water treatment plants due to the severe pollution of the Tano River.

“We are currently unable to produce water at our full capacity because the Tano River has become heavily polluted due to illegal mining activities, which have severely affected our raw water intake and treatment processes”.



Municipal Assembly steps in

In response to the growing concerns from residents, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for the Sunyani Municipality, Vincent Antwi Agyei, has taken steps to address the worsening water crisis affecting several communities in the municipality.

According to Vincent Antwi Agyei, the Assembly has engaged officials of Ghana Water Limited to explore urgent and long-term solutions aimed at restoring a stable water supply to affected areas.

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