Gov’t to address water deficit

Government says it has made massive investment which will increase urban water coverage from 63 percent to 85 percent and rural water coverage from 64 percent to 76 percent by 2015.

Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Deputy Information and Media Relations Minister, at a press briefing in Accra, said there were dozens of water projects at various stages of completion across the country, which would add about 30 million gallons of water per day to the existing stock.

These, he said, include the 3.3 million gallons per day water project, the Nsawam Water Supply Project, the Kwahu Ridge, Konongo and Kumawu Water Supply Projects (also known as the 3Ks project).

Mr Kwakye Ofosu said current demand in Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA) stands at 150 million gallons per day (MGD) while the total water production from the Kpong and Weija dams stand at only 93 million gallons per day leaving a shortfall of 57 million gallons per day.

He said the US$273 Million Kpong Water Supply Expansion Project, when completed, would supply 40 million gallons of water a day to areas such as Adenta, Madina, Kwabenya, Ashongman, North, East and West Legon, Ashaley Botwe, Haatso, Boi, Asofaa, Dome and many others.

Kwakye Ofosu said the project is expected to be completed ahead of the scheduled 2015 completion date.

He said €16.5 million Kpong Intake Expansion Project was being executed to improve efficiency by replacing all existing pumps.

The deputy minister of information said as part of the project, a 3.3 million gallons per day treatment plant was also being built to increase supply to Accra-Tema Metropolitan Area (ATMA).

He said communities to benefit from the project include Dodowa, Ningo, Prampram and Akuapem Ridge.

Kwakye Ofosu said the Accra-Tema Metropolitan area water supply project, which would cost 56.5 million Euros, involves the installation of equipment for the production of 9 million gallons of water per day, the construction of four reservoirs at Adukrom, Dodowa, Atimpoku and Akorley, as well as 92km transmission pipelines.

The project, he said would improve water supply to almost 70 communities in both the Greater Accra and the Eastern Regions when completed.

Kwakye Ofosu said these projects would add a total of 65.3 million gallons of water per day to the existing production capacity and bring total water supply to the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area to 158.3 million gallons per day to ensure that demand for water in the national capital is met by the end of 2015.