By Jones Anlimah
The Public Utility Regulatory Commission (PURC) has attributed the recent hikes in water tariffs to illegal mining activities, commonly known as galamsey.
Speaking at a tariff education forum for tertiary students at Ho, in the Volta Region, The Executive Secretary of PURC, Dr. Ishmael Ackah, emphasized the importance of safeguarding the quality of water production to ultimately reduce tariffs for consumers.
The forum for Tertiary Students in the Ho Municipality of the Volta Region forms part of a nationwide education drive by the Public Utility Regulatory Commission to educate the public on the various build-up and determinants in tariff reviews.
Students from the Ho Technical University, the University of Health and Allied Sciences and the Evangelical Presbyterian University College attended the forum.
The Executive Secretary of the Public Utility Regulatory Commission, Dr. Ishmael Ackah,
said the link between illegal mining and the increase in water tariffs is undeniable. According to him pollution of our water bodies do not only threatens the environment but also drives up the costs of water treatment which in turn, leads to higher tariffs for consumers.
Dr. Ismael ackah stated that Ghana Water Company has been compelled to introduce the use of expensive chemicals to treat and purify water from polluted water sources for distribution and consumption as a result of the galamsey menace. He emphasized that safeguarding the quality of water production is vital for ensuring that water remains affordable for all citizens.
He further stressed that tackling galamsey is a collective responsibility and called on Ghanaians to contribute to the fight against illegal mining. “Before GALAMSEY became a big issue Ghana Water was using the chemical called Alum to treat the water before they serve customers. Now because of the nature of some water that we have now, when you go to the Pra, the Ankobra and other places, they are almost treating mud instead of water.” He said.
“Now that means that even when you want to use the Alum, you have to use about five times Alum before Galamsey. Now they are moving toward what we call Polymer, that is the chemical they are using now and that chemical is two and a half times more expensive than Alum. So the implication is that Galamsey is making the cost of treating water ver expensive and unfortunately consumers are paying for that”, Mr. Ackah added.
“So I will also admonish all of us to help fight against Galamsey so that we don’t bear some of these costs which we shouldn’t be bearing”, the Executive Secretary opined.
As the fight against illegal mining intensifies, it is imperative for an all-hands on deck effort to protect the country’s water sources to mitigate the financial burden on consumers through reduced water tariffs.
