Uncovered developments in the buffer zone of the Kpeve Treatment Plant headworks
A team of GWCL and PURC officials on an outreach programme has uncovered developments in the buffer zone of the Kpeve Treatment Plant headworks that could pose significant environmental threats to the dam at the intake point if left unaddressed.
The activities in the buffer zone have exacerbated the challenges faced by the Company, which is already grappling with frequent breakdowns of its aging pumping machine. This machine, the only one remaining out of three installed at the headworks in 1993, is critical to operations.
These challenges have resulted in Ho and its surrounding areas being deprived of vital water resources. Further damage to the intake point could have far-reaching consequences for the large clientele along the value chain, jeopardizing essential service delivery.
BSK City, a private developer who reportedly owns land in the buffer zone, has undertaken grading activities on a hill near the banks of the Plant’s intake. This activity has led to the removal of topsoil from the hill, some of which was deposited in the intake area, reducing its capacity.
In response to the environmental impact, Mr. Francis Lamptey, Volta Regional Chief Manager of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), informed the Ghana News Agency that the developer’s actions have already reduced the volume of water at the intake.
He explained that the absence of vegetative cover on the graded hill leads to significant runoff during rainfall, causing massive siltation at the intake and elevating turbidity levels beyond treatable limits.
“When this happens, the Treatment Plant has to shut down, as it is not equipped with a coagulant dosing system, clarifiers, or sedimentation tanks to handle highly turbid water,” Mr. Lamptey stated.
He warned that any further development, such as for resort purposes or human settlement near the intake, could result in pollution. Waste from such developments could directly contaminate the intake, leading to severe consequences.
The Company has requested that the National and Regional Security Councils intervene to prohibit the developer from engaging in any further adverse activities. They are also urging the developer to plant grass on the graded areas to prevent siltation and further turbidity increases caused by runoff during rainfall.
The GWCL has communicated these concerns to other stakeholders, including the Environmental Protection Agency, the Water Resources Commission, the Regional House of Chiefs, and the South Dayi Assembly.
Mr. Lamptey revealed that the issue came to light during a visit by a team from the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) on January 21, 2025. The team, comprising officials from Accra and the Volta Region, was at the GWCL office to discuss the water challenges in Ho, including the problems with the intake pumps at the Plant.
As part of their fact-finding mission, the PURC officials visited the Kpeve Treatment Plant, where they observed the developer’s activities.
Efforts by the Ghana News Agency to obtain a response from the private developer have so far been unsuccessful. Calls and text messages to the CEO of BSK City have gone unanswered.
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