Work on new water treatment plant at Kwanyaku progressing

Agona Kwanyaku (C/R), Oct 07, GNA - Work at the new water treatment plant at Kwanyaku as well as the rehabilitation and expansion of the old plant is progressing steadily.

The 44 million Euros Dutch government funded project, which started in July, will be completed next year.

The work involves the construction of a new treatment plant, building of a reservoir, laying of new pipelines, dredging of the existing dam and the supply of spare parts. Mr Bart De Swedt, senior project manager of 'Denys Engineers a construction firm from the Netherlands that is undertaking the project, said this when board members of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) led by its chairman Mr Abudulai Rahaman Musah visited the project site on Thursday.

Funding for the project comprises 35 percent grant and 65 percent commercial loan from the Dutch government. Mr Swedt said the old treatment plant has a capacity of 14,000 cubic metres and produces three million gallons of water daily. The new plant would produce five million gallons daily for a population of 750,000 in five districts. He said when work on both treatment plants is completed they would produce 80 million gallons of water daily and was hopeful that work would be completed by December next year, six months earlier than scheduled.

Mr Musah reiterated the government's policy of providing potable water for all communities by 2020 and said the GWCL's collaboration with its donor partners was in line with this objective. He said the GWCL board had approved a loan of 27 million Euros from the Dutch government for expansion work to start at the Baifikron Water Treatment Plant.

Mr Samuel Lamptey, the Managing Director of GWCL, said it was the hope of the company that by 2010 it would be able to meet 100 percent of urban water demand.

Mr Kwaku Dovlo, the Regional Manager of the company, said the company had been able to collect 640 million cedis within three months and appealed to the public to ensure the judicious use of treated water and to pay their bills promptly. The team also visited the Winneba and Baifikrom treatment plants both in the Central Region.