Lake polluted with human waste

A laboratory analysis of water samples taken from Lake Tesa at East Legon Extension, a suburb of Accra by the Water Resources Commission has revealed that the lake has been polluted with human waste.

The laboratory analysis was done in February 7, 2007 to test the quality of the water, and the test confirmed that faecal bacterium was high in the lake.

This came to light at the weekend when officials of the WRC met residents of the community to discuss ways to preserve the lake.

An earlier study conducted in 2000 showed that the presence if faecal matter in the lake was much lower, meaning there has been a sharp increase in pollution of the lake, the report stated.

A report on the laboratory analysis of the lake water indicated that faecal bacteria in the later were very high.

The report stated, “Faecal coliforms, a group of bacteria that are used as an indicator of the potential presence of disease causing bacteria and viruses were found to be present in high quantities, indicating recent pollution of the lake.”

The bacteria, the report said was only resident in man showing that the pollution was from inhabitants around the lake.

The bacteria is resident only in man and not in animals, showing that the pollution is indeed from the inhabitants around the lake”, the report further stated.

Also, a survey conducted in the area by WRC indicated that houses along the lake, while residents in uncompleted houses in the area also used the lake as a place on convenience.

Household waste was also dumped along the shore of the lake.

Mrs. Adwoa Paintsil, Water Quality Specialist of the WRC, explained that the pollution of the lake was having a great toll on the living organisms in it.

She said the lake was harboring disease causing organisms due to pollution adding that the menace was putting the residents at risk of contracting diseases.

She added that the eventual death of the lake would cause a great stench in the vicinity.

The acting Executive Secretary of the WRC, Ben Amponsah disclosed that a buffer zone policy was being developed to protect water resources in the country.

Source: Daily Graphic