Residents resort to polluted water due to acute water shortage in the area

 In the Eastern Region of Ghana, residents of Nsawam Adoagyiriare are battling an acute water shortage which has hit the area due to the drop in water treatment plant reservoir.

The residents will now have to pray for rains to increase the water level in the dam or continue to use polluted water from other sources.

The residents said for more than two weeks, they have not seen a single flow of water through their taps.

Their only source of water supply is an outlet from the DensuRiver.

They added that, they fetch water from the stream, boil it before they use for cooking and drinking.

The resident wash in the Densu River, other people bath in it with soap. Some people don’t even boil it they just drink it like that.

What has further worsened the situation of residents is the drying up of the water treatment plant reservoir.

The drying up of the plant has been attributed to the harmattan.

                           Stanley Martey

Communications Manager at the Ghana Water company, Stanley Martey said there is very little the company can do at least for now.

The only option is to provide water to essential service providers like hospitals and schools.

This he said will be done in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Organization (NDAMO) and National Security.

He also indicated that since the community was a big one it will be difficult to supply water to all residents, but “water tankers will be placed at vantage points for the residents.”

Stanley Martey accused residents of polluting the water with rubbish and this in his view contributed to the current situation.

He said until “the rains come in and the water level goes up, it will be very difficult to extract the water and treat it for consumption.”