Water Rationing Hits Tamale

Wednesday, 22 February 2012 13:13

Written by ghanapolitics.net

The acute water shortage that hit the Tamale Metropolis and its environs may go on for more weeks as officials of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) are unable to tell when the situation will be rectified.

The metropolis has been without water for over a fortnight though authorities of GWCL assured residents they would solve the problem within the shortest possible.

But its Regional Communications Manager, Nicholas Nii Abbey, told DAILY GUIDE he was uncertain when the situation would be normalized in view of the severity of the problem at the pump station, currently being worked on by technical officers.

According to him, the pump station was unable to pump treated water through the newly installed 700mm line for onward distribution to the various communities.

He said the old 450mm line was currently being used and that could only pump water to the old water station near Gumbihini, expressing regrets about the situation and urging consumers to bear with them since the problem was a technicality.

Mr. Abbey disclosed that the company, in the interim, would rely on tanker services to provide water to residents until the fault is repaired to facilitate portable water delivery.

He urged residents to get water storage facilities since the GWCL would embark on water rationing exercises in subsequent weeks, awaiting the repairs of broken down equipment.

Mr Abbey observed that rationing had become necessary since the plant could not meet the demand for water. He said the technical fault was caused by irregular power supply from the Volta River Authority (VRA), expressing regrets about the situation.

In the interim, the only water tanker of the GWCL and rented private tankers would be used to supply water to some selected institutions including hospitals and other health facilities.

Meanwhile, the situation seems to have taken a toll on economic activities in Tamale, with people spending several hours in search of water.

Pupils of basic schools, who have been hit by the acute water shortage the most, have abandoned instructional hours in school to queue at wells to enable them fetch water for their parents.

A visit to some mechanized boreholes within the city at about 10:00am Wednesday saw a considerable number of them queued up to fetch water.

They told DAILY GUIDE they had abandoned school to enable them fetch water for domestic purposes since the taps at home had not run for over a week.

Some water sales outlets have taken advantage of the crises to increase the cost of water since the commodity is on high demand.

A yellow gallon popularly referred to as the 'Kufuor gallon' is now being sold at 50Gp instead of 10Gp, yet consumers have no option than to buy.

Some residents have already been compelled to drink from unsafe sources which might escalate the guinea worm pandemic which has almost been eradicated.

Water tankers are alleged to also be drawing water from unsafe sources and selling to unsuspecting consumers within the city.

Some second cycle schools are considering closing down until regular water supply is restored.

From Stephen Zoure, Tamale

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