First wastewater treatment system in Africa commissioned in Tema

Tema, July 21, GNA - The first Living Machine Wastewater treatment system in Africa that will enable effluent discharged into wetlands by households to be treated and reused has been inaugurated in Tema. The facility, costing 120,000 dollars, is located at Tema Community Six, close to the Sakumono Lagoon.

Senior Advisor of Worrell Water Technologies, Dr Mark Scaefer, said water treated by the Living Machine system was ideal for irrigation, landscaping and certain industrial processes and that effluent from the Living Machine could be treated further with other purification technologies to make it safe for drinking.

Dr Scaefer said his outfit donated the machine to Tema to demonstrate the value of the technology in Africa as water reuse had become important throughout the world due to the decline of freshwater and that the system has been in existence in the US for the past 10 years. Inaugurating the system the Tema Municipal Chief Executive, Mr David Quaye Annang, said the Tema Municipal Assembly participated in the construction of the system and that the assembly would maintain it.