Mr. Albert Abongo, Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, has inspected on-going water rehabilitation and expansion works designed to increase daily water supply to the Kumasi Metropolis from 21 to 27 million gallons.
The Barekese and Owabi head-works together has a production capacity of 21 million gallons of water to serve the population of Kumasi and its environs.
The construction of a 123,000 cubic metre reservoir at Suame, a 5,200 cubic metre booster station at Achiase, laying of 84 kilometres of pipelines, replacement of pumps and other equipment to raise the capacity of treatment plants at the Barekese head-works are among the main activities been undertaken.
The Government of Netherlands under its ORET funds is providing support for the works being done by Dutch contractors, Ballast Nedam Company.
Mr Ebenezer Garbrah, Regional Director of the Ghana Water Company Limited, told the Minister that the target production of 27 million gallons was not enough to meet the demands of the metropolis.
Kumasi and its environs present water supply demand is at 34 million gallons a day, he said.
The Resident Engineer of the construction company, Mr John Goli informed the Minister that the works are about 96 per cent complete.
The Minister expressed his satisfaction with the job done so far and repeated the Government's commitment towards ensuring that all Ghanaians have access to good drinking water.
Mr. Abongo earlier visited a waste dumping site at Amanfrom, which falls within the Owabi dam's catchment area and urged the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, the Ashanti Regional Co-ordinating Council and other stakeholders to ensure it re-location.
He also inspected Nwabi farming community that is located at the downstream of the Owabi dam, where houses have been destroyed by spillage from the dam.
The Member of Parliament for Atwima-Nwabiagya, Mr Benito Owusu-Bio appealed to the Government to help resettle the people to safer grounds.
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