GWCL will close the Dalun water treatment plant due to sand harvesting activities

Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has stated that it may be forced to close its wastewater treatment plant at Dalun in the north Kumbungu district Region, if the sand mining activities in the river bed at its point of raw water take-off in Nawuni and around the white Volta continue.

according to for GWCL, it can not extract enough raw water from the white Volta at its raw intake point in Nawuni for treatment, as the machines collect a lot of silt due to the sand-collecting activities in the bed from the river.

The winners of sand would also have diverted the course of the channels of the river.

"We do not have enough raw water to treat in our Dalun processing plant for consumption because the White Volta, which serves as a source of raw water, has been heavily polluted due to Sand recovery activities in the river bed and close to its shores. ", Nicholas Okyere, GWCL's production manager for the Northern Region, said when he took journalists on tour inspection.

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During the tour on the banks of the White Volta, journalists witnessed the mbadive devastation caused by the activities of conquering the sand that caused environmental damage and also polluted the white Volta.

The tour was also used to interact with leaders, opinion leaders and community, sand winners.

Dalun Treatment Plant Supplies Drinking Water for Consumption in Tamale Metropolis, Savelugu Tolon, Kumbungu and its surroundings.

But, according to Mr. Okyere, GWCL was currently rationing water in Tamale Metropolis and in other watersheds due to sand mining activities.

"We must throw 30% of the water we recover because of the pollution of the white Volta as a result of the successful sandblasting activities.If we do not take care of ourselves, we could be forced to close", he stressed.

Buffer

Mr. Okyere has made a pbadionate appeal to community leaders and leaders to leave a 100-meter buffer zone to protect the river.

He added that if the buffer zone was respected and observed by all stakeholders along the White Volta, it would help restore the river to its former state and improve the water supply situation in Tamale. .

He added that GWCL was not against gaining sand because it was important to the construction industry and was a source of livelihood for the population, but that "all we are asking for was a responsible exploitation of the sand so as not to pollute the river excessively ".

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The former president of the North Branch of the Ghana Road Contractors Association (ASROG) said he would pbad on the message to his members and urged all participants to engage in finding sand in a meaningful way. responsible for protecting water bodies from drying up and pollution,

The secretary of the Tamale Tipper Truck Association, Mr. Yahaya Iddrisu said that they would respect the 100-meter buffer zone and has already informed their members not to engage in the recovery of sand near the river.

Chiefs and other community leaders of communities along the White Volta during the interaction also pledged to respect the 100-meter buffer zone and to sensitize members of their communities to the need to protect communities. water plans.