On a working visit to the Kyebi, Bunso and Osino water treatment plants in the Eastern Region, Sanitation and Water Resources Minister, Ms. Cecilia Dapaah, expressed deep worry about the worsening quality of water.
This, she says, is mainly due to soaring levels of pollution from illegal mining.
The Minister had earlier familiarised herself with the workings of the water treatment plants in the Ashanti and Central Regions, and to check on the water bodies which serve as intake for the plants.
It was also to ensure that the plants are in good condition to provide water to the communities. At Kyebi, the Birim River at the intake site which used to be very muddy due to galamsey operators is no longer destroying the environment.
This, according to the GWCL, has made it very easy to treat and supply water to the community.
The Minister commended the people of Kyebi for having the cleanest water source among the three areas visited with a turbidity level of 11NTU.
The turbidity of the water at the intake site at Bunso is over one thousand while the Birim River has been diverted at Osino by the illegal miners for their activities.
Ms. Cecilia Dapaah was disappointed and appealed to the illegal miners to stop their activities, in order not to pollute water bodies and help the government to deal with the menace to save the environment.
The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr. Seth Acheampong, said unregulated mining must be condemned.
He says the mining regulation stipulates that nobody should mine within a one hundred-meter perimeter to water bodies and urged people to adhere to the laws.
Earlier, the Sanitation Minister and her entourage called on the Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin at his palace at Kyebi.
He urged the government to reclaim the lands that have been destroyed by galamsey activities for development purposes.