The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) in the Upper East Region has begun rationing water in some parts of the Bolgatanga Municipality and Bolgatanga East District.
The company has attributed the current water crisis in Bolgatanga and Zuarungu to low production capacity as a result of the growing population.
“What we have been doing in the interim is to ration the water. In other words we have zoned the Bolgatanga Municipality into sections so at a point in time we can supply the zones. So we don’t have full water supply situation to all sections of the community at a time. The production capacity is now below the demand”, stated, Regional Chief Manager of Ghana Water Company Limited in Bolgatanga, Kenneth Ennim.
Mr. Ennim who spoke in an exclusive interview on Reporters’ Visit on A1 Radio also attributed the current water crisis to frequent power outages.
“To produce water requires constant power supply; unfortunately, we are of late witnessing power fluctuations in the Bolgatanga Municipality. So it has been quite impossible for Ghana Water Company Limited to sustain water supply as a result of this exogenous factor. The power outage impacts negatively on us”
Some residents who have been affected by the water crisis blame the Ghana Water Company Limited for not communicating to them about the ongoing water rationing.
“They don’t always inform us of what is happening. Yesterday for instance, I was bathing and suddenly the tap stopped flowing. I’m hearing that they are rationing water from you people for the first time”, a disgruntled water user lamented.
The Regional Chief Manager said the company has awarded a contract for the replacement of obsolete pumps at Vea Irrigation Dam, where the main plant for water supply is sited.
He added that government has also approved a grant and a loan and a contract has been awarded for the rehabilitation of the Tono Irrigation Dam where water treatment plant will be sited to argument water supply to customers in the Upper East Region.
