The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has blamed the activities of illegal miners in the Western Region for its inability to provide potable water for residents of the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis.

Water shortage has hit parts of Sekondi-Takoradi and adjoining communities in the Western region due to the low level of water at the intake points of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) in the region.

The problem has also been compounded by the onset of the dry season, according to the Ghana Water Company Limited.

In a statement, the GWCL explained that the “challenges arise from inadequate freshwater inflows into the Pra basin which is the source of raw water for the Daboase Water Treatment Plant, the biggest Plant in the Region. The Anankware River, which supplies raw water to the Inchaban Water Treatment Plant is equally facing its own freshwater inflow difficulties.

“Compounding the current problem at Daboase are the activities of illegal miners upstream of the River Pra, causing severe siltation at the plant’s intake. The high silt deposits have drastically reduced the volume of raw water available for abstraction. The dry season currently being experienced has also exacerbated the problem of raw water unavailability.”

According to the GWCL, the result of these developments is that “the company is not able to produce enough water for residents, thus, worsening the already bad supply situation in the metropolis.”

The GWCL further added that it has reviewed its water demand management programme to bring equity in the water distribution exercise.

However, the GWCL said there are still customers who are not likely to receive water despite the review of the water management programme due to the erratic pumping regime.

“Management of the company recognises and shares in the pain of consumers and are now doing everything they can to ameliorate their suffering, including dredging the intake of Daboase Treatment Plant which is currently ongoing.”