ILLEGAL MINING AFFECTS UNDERGROUND WATER IN WR (SPREAD)

INCREASED indiscriminate illegal mining activities in various communities in the Western Region are seriously threatening underground water safety and could affect the health of the people, if immediate steps are not taken to address the situation.
According to officials of the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA), traces of mercury and other harmful chemicals have been detected in underground water in some communities.
The acting Regional Director of CWSA, Mr Kwesi Brown, made this known after a tour of Jomoro and Ahanta West districts in the region by the board of directors of the agency.
He explained that unlike the big mining companies, whose activities are regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the illegal miners were not regulated and as a result they disregarded the implications of their use of chemicals around water sources.
“It is sad and unfortunate for people to pursue their selfish interest at the expense of the larger community by disregarding the harmful effect of these chemicals, especially mercury, to the health of the people,” he added.
Mr Brown said the detection of heavy metals hindered the effort of the agency to improve and increase the quality and safety of water it provided under the project.
He said the region had the least number of community water projects in the country, adding that it was wrong for illegal miners to pollute water sources.
“Sadly, we do not have the power to effect arrest and prosecute, but I am happy that the board has been informed and I hope appropriate action will be taken to avert any unpleasant situation in the near future,” he said.
Mr Brown noted that there were about 30 on-going projects in the region, adding that contracts for the commencement of work on 20 out of the 30 projects had been signed.
The government of Ghana, the European Union (EU) and the International Development Agency (IDA) have embarked on a 10-million-euro water supply project for small towns and communities in the Western Region.
Under the project, the EU and IDA will respectively take charge of 20 and 10 boreholes, while the government will provide support services to ensure early completion of the projects.
In a presentation, Mr Brown emphasised that high electricity cost and lack of funding for capacity building of newly created districts were some of the challenges threatening the sustainability of water systems in the area.
He mentioned also poor quality of water, particularly in the Agona-Nkwanta and Asankragwa areas, as constraints affecting water consumption in those communities, pointing out that plans had been put in place to solve the problem.
The Board Chairman of the CSWA, Mr J. Adusei Sarkodie, said the tour was to give the members first-hand information on the challenges facing community water projects in the region and how best to address them.