Illegal mining forces shutdown of Kwanyako water plant

The Ghana Water Limited (GWL) has been forced to shut down operations at the Kwanyako Headworks in the Central Region, plunging thousands of residents into a severe water crisis.

Both intake pumps at the facility have broken down after being choked by heavy silt deposits traced to illegal mining activities upstream of the Ayensu River in the Eastern Region.

Officials warn that unless the menace of galamsey is tackled decisively, any attempt to restore the plant’s operations may prove futile.

The Kwanyako Headworks, which has long served as a lifeline for surrounding communities, previously supplied more than 25,000 cubic meters of water daily. The site comprises two plants — the original one, commissioned in 1964 with a 14,000 cubic meter capacity, and a newer facility added in 2007 with a capacity of 21,000 cubic meters.

Divers hired to inspect the submerged pumps reported massive silting, recommending urgent desilting and a large-scale dredging of the riverbed. However, engineers caution that such interventions will have little impact if illegal mining continues unchecked.

“Meanwhile, officials at the Kwanyako Headworks say the dredging would still yield no useful impact should the illegal mining activities continue.”

With production at a standstill, desperate residents are now resorting to unsafe water sources for household and commercial use, heightening fears of waterborne disease outbreaks.

The shutdown underscores the escalating toll of illegal mining on Ghana’s critical infrastructure and the growing human cost of environmental destruction.