Mr. Charles Brobbey, Regional Chief Manager of GWCL, who disclosed this to the Ghanaian Times indicated that most of the tributaries down of the Tano River had been blocked by “galamseyers” resulting in the water shortfall into the Tano River.

According to Mr Brobbey, the dry season coupled with competing demand by people living around upstream of the Tano River have compounded the situation.

The Regional Chief Manager announced that the average water production levels by the GWCL, to the Sunyani township which stood at 1.6 million gallons per day had been cut to 800,000 gallons per day currently, in order to protect the river from drying and the total shutdown of the Abesim water works.

Mr. Brobbey said that the GWCL would require seven million gallons of water per day to meet the total demands of the people.

Touching on efforts being made to mitigate the impact of the water crisis in the Sunyani municipality the company was rationing water to the various communities while intensifying efforts at the reactivation of the company’s boreholes to meet water supply to the people.

He added that one borehole had been mechanised while additional six were being worked on to augment it.

Mr. Brobbey said a team had also been set up by the company to identify areas in the municipality to ensure regular supply of water to the people.

He said the current dire situation could only improve if the rain sets in adding that contingency measures have been put in place should the worst happen.

A visit to some areas such as Abesim, Nkwabeng, and New Dormaa among others revealed that people were relying on other alternative sources such as wells and sachet water to meet their demands.

Institutions such as schools and health facilities in the municipality have all been badly affected by the water shortage.

From: Daniel Dzirasah, Sunyani