Weija (G/A), March 5, GNA - Human corpses found in Weija Dam are polluting the source of water supply to parts of Accra, Mr Stephen Amahere-Mensah, a Member of the Water Resources Commission Satellite Committee, told journalists on Wednesday.
Mr Amahere-Mensah, whose committee is responsible for patrolling water bodies, said Police records showed that about 150 dead bodies have so been found in the Densu River adding that the most recent incident occurred in January 2008. He said the Police were informed and they went to collect it.
He said: "The rate at which dead bodies are being found in the Densu River is not ordinary," adding that initial investigations among the communities pointed to the possibility of fishermen using the dead bodies to attract the fishes in the dam.
Mr Amahere-Mensah, who is also Weija Water Station Chemist, said apart from corpses and carcasses, the fishermen also used human excreta as bait, and explained that these activities continued to pollute the Weija Dam and thus increased the cost of water treatment each day. Mrs Cecelia Dapaah, Minister of State in-Charge of Water, initiated the tour to find out the progress of work on the expansion of the Treatment Station that would increase the volume of water produced per day by 15 million gallons from the present 40 million gallons. The increase would make it possible to extend water supply to parts of Accra East.
The expansion work, which includes the construction of four new filter stations and two clarifiers, is to be completed in the next two months.
