`GWCL Explores Mining Pit Lakes as Emergency Water Source for Tarkwa
Company Seeks Alternative Water Sources Amid Persistent Siltation at Bonsa Plant
- GWCL faces water shortages in Tarkwa as the Bonsa Treatment Plant suffers repeated siltation due to illegal mining upstream.
- The company is exploring mining pit lakes and a new Sekondi-Daboase treatment plant as alternative water sources.
- Officials warn that persistent siltation not only reduces water volume but also increases turbidity beyond the plant’s treatment capacity.
The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) is considering alternative water sources for Tarkwa and surrounding communities after the Bonsa Water Treatment Plant faced a temporary shutdown caused by heavy siltation and upstream illegal mining activities.
Adam Mutawakilu, Managing Director of GWCL, said the familiarization tour of the Bonsa Plant aimed to assess the deteriorating condition of the raw water source and explore solutions to maintain uninterrupted water supply.
He revealed that the plant’s intake point, desilted just weeks ago, has become heavily silted again in less than three weeks. This rapid siltation, he explained, reflects the weakened soil structure upstream due to persistent illegal mining and land degradation. As a result, Tarkwa and nearby communities have been without GWCL-supplied potable water for the past three weeks.
As part of immediate measures, Mutawakilu announced plans to inspect the new treatment plant under construction at Sekondi-Daboase and examine mining pit lakes that could serve as alternative raw water sources.
Richard Essoun, Western Regional Manager of GWCL, highlighted the severity of the crisis, noting that the company can no longer sustain the recurring financial costs caused by illegal mining. He explained that despite heavy investments in dredging the Bonsa River, siltation quickly returns, compromising both water volume and quality. The high turbidity resulting from this persistent siltation exceeds the plant’s treatment capacity.
GWCL is now urgently exploring both emergency and long-term solutions to ensure a stable and safe water supply for Tarkwa and its surrounding communities.
By Nana Fynn
