Corporate Affairs Director of Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL),Stanley Martey has confirmed the devastating effects of illegal mining (galamsey) on water bodies.
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Speaking with Samuel Eshun about the recent media release from GWCL encouraging citizens to store water on the ‘Happy Morning Show’ (HMS), he said: ‘’Galamsey is affecting water supply in Sekondi-Takoradi, now we have to ration water so that every home is duly served.’’
When the main host of the ‘Happy Morning Show’ (HMS) asked him if drilling boreholes will not help in solving the shortages in water supply, he explained that options with reasons like cost and the saline content in underground water in some parts of the country.
‘’There is no need for us to drill boreholes, the greater part of ground water from Accra contain high levels of saline. Desalination is very expensive and time consuming, moreover, boreholes cannot serve the entire population in certain areas. Remember, Accra is not Ghana and the release is not meant for Accra’’ he stated.
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He also mentioned that water supply in Kumasi is going on smoothly. ‘’ We are not facing challenges in Kumasi, what we are doing is to improve upon production. We are building capacity’’, he said.
According to Stanley Martey, using clean water for washing cars and watering lawns and gardens is a waste and should be discouraged.
He also attributed the scarcity of water to the washing of hands under running water as a way of fending off the coronavirus.
‘’If we are washing our hands under running water more than we usually do means the demand for water will be very high, creating a deficit in supply. People are also now bathing thoroughly more than they were doing previously so all these affect supply. My advice for areas that have their taps running everyday is that they should use water judiciously so that other parts of the country experiencing shortages can also get adequate supply of water’’, Stanley Martey appealed.
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As a protective measure against the covid -19 outbreak, the World Health Organisation (WHO) advocates regular and thorough washing of hands with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand rub which will kill viruses on hands if one comes into contact with the coronavirus.
By: Bridget Mensah