In a concerning development, the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) and the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) have raised significant alarms over private encroachment on the buffer zone of the Kpeve Treatment Plant in Ghana. This situation poses a direct threat to the water supply and the integrity of the infrastructure at the plant.
The problem was discovered during an outreach program where it was found that BSK City, a private developer, has been conducting grading activities on land near the intake of the treatment plant. This activity has led to part of the intake being filled with topsoil from the hill, which could have dire environmental consequences.
Francis Lamptey, the Volta Regional Chief Manager of GWCL, explained to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the actions of BSK City have already reduced the volume of water available at the intake. He highlighted that without vegetative cover, rainfall causes massive siltation and increases water turbidity, rendering the treatment plant unable to process the water due to lack of appropriate equipment like coagulant dosing systems or sedimentation tanks.
Lamptey warned of the potential for further pollution if development for resorts or human settlements continues near the intake, as this could lead to waste directly contaminating the water source. He urged the National and Regional Security Councils to intervene, stopping further development and requiring BSK City to remediate the area by planting grass to prevent further environmental damage.
The GWCL has communicated these issues to various stakeholders, including the Environmental Protection Agency, Water Resources Commission, Regional House of Chiefs, and the South Dayi Assembly, seeking a collective response to this crisis.
This situation came to light during a visit by PURC officials from Accra and the Volta Region to the GWCL office on January 21, 2025, to investigate the ongoing water supply issues in Ho, particularly related to the aging and malfunctioning pumping machines at the Kpeve Plant, which have been in use since 1993.
