GWCL Considers Mining Pit Lakes As Emergency Water Source For Tarkwa
The Managing Director of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), Adam Mutawakilu, has outlined urgent measures to secure a stable water supply for Tarkwa and surrounding communities as the Bonsa Water Treatment Plant faces a renewed shutdown due to heavy siltation and illegal mining upstream.
Speaking during a familiarization tour of the Bonsa Treatment Plant in Tarkwa, Mr. Mutawakilu said the visit was to assess the rapidly deteriorating condition of the raw water source and explore alternative options to keep water production running.
According to him, the Bonsa intake point desilted only a few weeks ago has become heavily silted again in less than three weeks, a worrying indication that the soil structure upstream has weakened significantly due to persistent illegal mining and land degradation.
He revealed that for the past three weeks, the plant has been unable to treat water, leaving Tarkwa and its nearby communities without GWCL-supplied potable water.
As part of immediate interventions, the Managing Director announced plans to visit the new treatment plant under construction at Sekondi-Daboase, as well as inspect mining pit lakes that may serve as alternative sources of raw water.
Mr. Richard Essoun, the Western Regional Manager of GWCL, underscored the severity of the crisis, stressing that the company can no longer bear the recurring financial burden caused by illegal mining activities.
He explained that the Bonsa River has become so compromised that even after heavy investment in dredging, the situation returns to crisis levels almost immediately.
According to him, the persistent siltation not only affects water volume but also increases the turbidity to levels the plant’s treatment system cannot handle.
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