The shutdown of Agordome Water Treatment Plant in the South Tongu District of the Volta Region is causing significant disruptions to businesses and households in Anloga and Keta Municipality.
The Ghana Water Company Limited has earlier announced that the water plant located at Agordome has been temporarily shut down due to deteriorating raw water quality caused by consistent heavy downpour experienced over the period.
The shutdown, according to the Ghana Water Company Limited, has affected water supply to several communities such as Sogakope, Tefle, Dabala, Anloga, Keta, and their surrounding areas.
Residents in the affected areas are experiencing water shortages or disruptions, which is impacting their daily activities and businesses.
Madam Dzifa Celestine Dzrakor, a Kenkey seller at Dzelukope, a suburb of Keta, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said the shutdown has caused a significant water shortage to many who rely heavily on the Agordome Water Treatment Plant for their water needs.
“This development has clearly highlighted the need for adequate infrastructure and maintenance of water treatment plants to ensure consistent supply of safe drinking water to communities even under any condition,” she said.
She explained that economic effect of the shutdown was also palpable with businesses struggling to operate without access to reliable water supply and the incident could lead to losses in productivity, revenue, and even closure of some businesses who cannot afford other means of getting water for use.
Madam Dzrakor lamented that the shutdown also has domestic effects on various households who were struggling to access clean water for drinking, cooking, washing, bathing and hygiene which can lead to health risks, particularly for vulnerable populations such as children, elderly and the poor.
Mr. David Adela, a vegetable farmer, told the GNA that the shutdown has an effect on irrigation farming activities with many farmers struggling to access water for their crops with the situation threatening losses of agricultural produce and food security.
“We are told that the cause of the shutdown is attributed to the deteriorating raw water quality, which is a challenge faced by many water treatment plants in Ghana, the taps are not flowing, we pray that the challenges will be resolved quickly to mitigate our plights.”
Mr. Fidelis Doe, the Manager, Ghana Water Limited (GWL) at Keta promised that the company would do everything possible to address the challenges and restore water supply to the affected areas.
He assured the public that the situation is being closely monitored, and normal supply would be restored as soon as the water quality improves to minimize the impact on residents and businesses.
However, residents and businesses were demanding urgent action to fix the situation and ensure consistent supply of safe drinking water while urging the authorities to implement alternative solutions to mitigate the impact of the shutdown.
The impact of the shutdown was estimated to be greater in the institutions such as hospitals, schools, mosques, among others if the situation is not brought under control within the shortest possible time to curb the pressing water supply challenges.
The GWC in the meantime, is appealing to affected customers to bear with them as they work to restore water supply to essential service providers, such as hospitals and schools, to ensure they have access to clean water during this period.