Dutch Company to fund water supply to some communities

Nsoatre, (B/A), Nov. 13, GNA - Vitens, a Dutch Water Company through a Trust Fund called "Water for Life Foundation" is to spend more than 700,000 euros to supply potable water to some communities in the country. The first phase of the project is expected to begin in early 2009 and will supply water to more than 50,000 people in seven communities. Mr Andrew Barber, Managing Director of Aqua Vitens Rand Limited disclosed this at the commissioning of a water supply improvement project at Nsoatre in the Sunyani West District of Brong-Ahafo. The facility, the first to be funded by "Water for Life Foundation" in Ghana consists of mechanisation of an old borehole, electricity extension to the site and distribution of pipelines to link the existing supplies.

Mr Barber said the facility would provide potable drinking water to an additional 6,000 people by increasing the previous consumer supply rate of 6.8 percent of the population to 27 percent. He reminded the people that the additional water being provided goes with additional responsibilities and asked the beneficiaries to see the water provided as a valuable and precious resource. Mr Barber advised the people to pay their water bills promptly. He explained that "Water for Life Foundation" was entirely funded by the Dutch customers of Vitens, saying "When they pay their water bills in Holland, many consumers choose to pay extra and voluntarily contribute to water for life". Mr Barber said the recent state visit of President J.A. Kufuor to the Netherlands reinforced the close links between the two countries hence the impending water supply projects.

Mr Ignatius Baffour-Awuah, Brong Ahafo Regional Minister said the population of Nsoatre was estimated at about 22,800 and that residents got water from the Abesim head-works which took its source from the Tano River.

He noted with regret that water demand for the Sunyani Municipality exceeded the present supply of the Abesim System and that it therefore had to be rationed for residents at Nsoatre and its environs. "With the commissioning of the facility, which will be exclusively for Nsoatre Town, there will be no rationing of water to the township," Mr Baffour-Awuah said.

Mr Baffour-Awuah said the government had finally secured a loan of 92 million dollars for the expansion of the Sunyani Water Supply System Project.

Under the system, a dam would be constructed on the Tano River to store enough water for use during the dry season, adding, the treatment plant at Abesim would be expanded to treat 9.68 million gallons of water a day instead of the current 1.5 million gallons. This, Mr Baffour-Awuah said, was expected to meet the projected water demand for the municipality up to the year 2030. He implored residents to pay their water bills regularly and to avoid illegal connections.