‘Galamsey’ plunges Cape Coast into water crises
The Ghana Water Limited (GWL) has announced severe water supply challenges in Cape Coast, Elmina, and surrounding communities due to illegal mining (galamsey) activities in the Pra River.
The company explained in a release that water sources have been polluted beyond reasoning limits, affecting processing and distribution for domestic and industrial use.
“Galamsey has compromised the quality of raw water, reducing our intake to the barest minimum.”
“About 60% of the catchment capacity is silted, causing turbidity levels to rise to 14,000 NTU, instead of the designed 2000 NTU.”
According to the statement, the Sekyere Hemang Water Treatment Plant is producing only 7,500m³/day, a quarter of its capacity, causing severe inconvenience to customers.
GWL apologized for the disruption and urged residents to join the fight against galamsey, report illegal activities, and support initiatives to protect water bodies.
“Your assistance is crucial in helping us restore the quality of the raw water and ensure a reliable water supply of clean drinking water,” GWL added.
The company is engaging stakeholders to find a lasting solution to the issue.