Kpeve (V/R), Sept. 15, GNA - Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyeman, Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing, on Thursday commended the management of the Ghana Water Company (GWC), for its foresight and ingenuity in installing a device at the Kpeve Water Pumping Station, which ensures constant water supply to Ho and its environs despite a drastic fall in the level of the Volta Lake at the original in-take point. Mr Owusu-Agyeman issued the commendation when he visited the Kpeve Head Works to see how the fall in the water level in the Volta Lake was affecting the company's ability to supply water to the Ho municipality. Known as the Pontoon Pipe, the floating device is able to draw water into the pumping machine from any distance away from the original in-take point.

Currently, water in the Lake has receded more than 100 metres from the original in-take point but that did not affect water supply to Ho. Mr Owusu-Agyeman said considering the fact that the original in-take point could be used for only four months in the year showed how serious the water supply situation in Ho and its environs would have been without the installation of that device. He appealed to communities along water bodies not to cultivate farms close to such areas in order not to jeopardize water supply. Mr Owusu-Agyeman said it was envisaged that communities along the GWC water supply lines would be served to avoid the likelihood of sabotage.

He said there was the need to create a "win-win" situation in water delivery and for consumers to pay their bills promptly to enable the GWC to maintain an efficient water supply system.

Briefing the Minister, Mr Emmanuel Ashia, Chief Engineer, GWC, in-charge of the Volta Region, said it cost 500 million cedis or more every month to use the floating device to sustain water supply to Ho. Mr Ashia, who conducted Mr Owusu-Agyeman round the various sections of the Head Works, said this year witnessed the worst drop in the water level away from the original intake point in the 13 years since the system was installed to the extent that all three suction pipes had been exposed.