Investing In Alternative Sources of Potable Water Supply

Earlier this week news broke of water shortage in some parts of Ghana and the decision by the Ghana Water Company Limited to start water rationing. According to the communications director of GWCL Stanley Mantey, “the rate of evaporation of water bodies across the country has become alarming and unless there is rain, there will be consequences for some communities”. He went on to name a number of rivers that were drying up quickly due to the change in weather, bad farming practices and galamsay. That brings to mind the question whether there has been enough investment in alternative sources of water in Ghana.

Water in Ghana basically is gotten from two main sources, surface water and ground water sources. Surface water sources are mainly from river systems and rain water whilst ground water is gotten from rock aquifers. Most surface water sources depend heavily on rainfall to refill after depletion same cannot be said about ground water sources. This therefore implies that any year we experience a reduction in the rainfall pattern, there is bound to be shortage of water in the dry season in communities that get their water from rivers, streams and other surface water sources.

This should therefore be a wakeup call to the various governments, NGOs and the institutions in charge of managing water supply in Ghana. Since man has no control over the rainfall pattern, measures should be kept in place to ensure that even if it fails to rain, communities that depend on rivers and streams will still be able to get water supply. This can only be made possible if appropriate steps are taken to invest in alternative sources of water supply.

The government can look at constructing more born holes and dug wells in such communities. The government can also invest in rain water harvesting equipments. These will ensue that enough rain water is harvested during the raining season and stored for supply to communities in the dry season. I believe if rain water is harvested and well stored, it won’t deplete or evaporate like it will do in a river or a stream.

Also, the idea of desalination should be taken very serious. More desalination plants should be constructed especially along the coastal communities. These plants will make good use of the sea water to provide an alternative source of potable water to communities.

Also, as humans, we should check our activities along river banks and streams. Farmers who farm near rivers should desist from that. Bush burning, cutting down of trees and many others that lead to global warming should be seriously checked.

Water is an essential resource needed by humans on daily basis to survive. Man can go a day or two without food but am not sure same can be done without water. Appropriate measures should therefore be kept in place to ensure that all Ghanaians no matter the part of the country where you are located have access to water.

Pius Doozie
MA Development Management
[email protected]