GWCL to cut off partnership with its electricity suppliers

A - Dr Clifford Abdallah Braimah, the Managing Director of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has expressed worry about the poor electricity supply to the company.

This he said, might compel GWCL to cut off partnership with its power supply partners.

He said the company had sought to develop alternative sources of generating power to ensure stable supply of electricity to its water treatment plants across the country to ensure frequent distribution of water to consumers.

He said due to the poor supply of electricity from PDS, GRIDCo, Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) amongst others, the company had commissioned feasibility study for the construction of Hydro Electric Power systems at Mampong, Weija, Barekese and the results were very positive.

Dr Braimah made this known on Tuesday when he visited one of the company's water treatment plants at Dalun in the Kumbungu District in the northern region, as part of his visit to assess the activities of the company.

He said reports on the feasibility study would soon be sent to government for approval in order to kick start the Hydro Electric Power system projects.

Dr Braimah said the company would soon bring some technocrats from Czech Republic to assess and plant a horizontal turbine system in Dalun to help generate electricity to support GWCL activities in the northern region.

He said poor electricity supply from PDS had damaged some of the company's machines at various water treatment plants citing the recent damage of some Auto-transfomers at Dalun, which interrupted regular water supply to consumers.

Dr Braimah said the water treatment plant at Dalun for over 16 hours on Monday had not been able to supply water to its customers due to lack of electricity which affected the company's activities and its consumers greatly.

" NEDCo, the electricity supply line that is supposed to give us enough power, has connected a lot of communities to that line resulting in the low distribution of water to Tamale and its surroundings" he said.

Mr Braimah also expressed regret on the irresponsible sand winning activities carried out along the river beds of the White Volta at Nawuni, the company's source of raw water intake for the Dalun water treatment plant, leading to its contamination.

He said these irresponsible activities would lead to higher cost in water treatment as well as increase in water tariffs and therefore called on the traditional authorities and stakeholders within the area to help stop the sand winning activities.

He advised consumers not to always be quick to blame GWCL whenever there was interruption in water supply since most times it's not the company's fault and assured that the company would continue to do its best to serve its customers.