Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has refuted claims that its tap water contains toxins, and has assured Ghanaians the water is safe for consumption.
The claims questioning the standing of GWCL’s water stemmed from a Daily Graphic report that quoted the Water Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), as having conducted a research which showed GWCL’s treatment plants are incapable of removing algae toxins.
The research also alleged that the GWCL only tested the treated water for bacteria and not toxins from algae.
But responding to the issue on Citi Breakfast show yesterday, the Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Water Company, Stanley Martey, assured Ghanaians the water distributed by his outfit meets accepted standards.
Responding to the research in question which was carried out in 2008, Mr. Martey noted that GWCL has not been able to study the CSIR report, but stated that they carry out their own regular research on the raw water they extract at their treatment plants.
Citing the Weija treatment plant as an example, he explained that “we do analysis of the raw water on daily basis and the when we extract the water for treatment, on an hourly basis at every stage of the treatment process, we also do tests… So we meet the standards. We make sure we take care of all these things that we are talking about, all these toxins, pollutants and all that.”
Mr. Mantey further assured that the water piped into homes are free of contaminants owing to their thorough treatment processes. “We have strategic locations where we introduce some chemicals into the system so that it will take care of further contaminants… so the water that gets into our home out there is very good, very potable and meets the standards so we shouldn’t fear at all when we have to consume the water.”
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