Water experts worry about damage of Anankore River

Dr Clifford Braimah, the Managing Director of the Ghana Water Company on Wednesday described the extent of damage caused by illegal mining activities at the Anankore River source in the Western Region as disturbing and a threat to national security.

The Managing Director together with heads of the Water Resources Commission and Director of Water at the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing were on site visit following a media report on activities of a quarry operator in the area without recourse to proper environmental procedures.

Dr Braimah said the company had plans to rehabilitate the current system to increase production but the rate of devastation at the intake source if not rectified could thwart the expansion project.

The Anankore River, the only source of raw water for treatment at the Inchaban treatment plant, suffered heavy obstruction following indiscriminate mining activities by a contractor exploring quarry stones and sand.

Dr Braimah said issues regarding water was of great human security concerns.

Meanwhile, the treatment plant had only nine feet deep water as against the 23.5 standard level required for production of water during the time of the visit.

The plant, now treats and distribute 1.4 million gallons a day, way below the stipulated 4 million gallons daily for supply to the citizenry in the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolis.

It had been established that the quarry operator, was yet to get any approval from the Environmental Protection Agency, which meant that no environmental impact assessment was carried out before the operation.

The Ghana Water had had to ration water the Metropolis due to continual depletion of the level of water in the dam at Inchaban.

An Ad hoc Committee has however been instituted to immediately put up a restoration plan in escalating any crisis.

Mr Kofi Deawo, of the Regional EPA and Committee member said the committee would work to ensure that the said contractor paid for all the damages in restoring the natural flow of the river.