GWCL Denies Media Report

Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has denied wide spread media reports that the Weija Treatment Plant produces hard water for human consumption. A statement signed by Chief Manager of the GWCL, Mr. Michael Agyeman and copied to Today in Accra yesterday stressed that it was untrue that at the Weija Treatment Plant, hard water was being produced. The GWCL in the statement asserted that �water from the Weija Treatment Plant has total hardness well below 100mg/1 which is within the normal soft range.� According to the statement, the Weija Treatment Plant, like all other conventional treatment plants, was designed to remove grits as well as settle able and non-settle able solids from raw water abstracted for production. This process the statement noted was followed by disinfection and finally pH (acidity) correction before the treated water was pumped through transmission mains for distribution. The statement emphasised that there was a standard treatment process control which ensured the quality of water produced. With this process, it further stressed that every stage of treatment was monitored to ensure conformity with the World Health Organisation (WHO) water quality guidelines and subsequently to meet the Ghana drinking water standards. According to the statement, during treatment, the physical, chemical and bacteriological quality of water was constantly monitored. �Five basic parameters; pH, colour, turbidity, residual chlorine, e-coli, are monitored on an hourly basis in addition to other plant control tests to ensure efficient and effective production of water at the Weija Treatment Plant. ��it is worth noting that both chlorine gas and calcium hypochlorite are complementary chemicals for the disinfection of water and can be used alternatively,� the statement noted. The statement assured general public that, cancer-causing conditions do not exist at Weija Head. The GWCL therefore appealed to journalists to do due diligence and cross-check their facts before coming out with such stories that can cause widespread fear and panic among the consuming public.