General News of Sunday, 13 December 2015

Source: GNA

Power outages cause water shortage in Cape Coast

The Cape Coast Metropolis has been hit by water shortage due to the erratic power supply to the Brimsu Dam for more than a week.

Many residents are spotted carrying yellow gallons popularly called “Kufuor Gallons,” and other containers combing through the metropolis in search of water, with some moving as far as to Elmina and other neighbouring communities to get water.

The situation has affected the time workers report to work, and the sale of sachet water and other drinks since the owners are not able to get ice blocks to cool their drinks.

In an interview with the GNA on Friday, Mr Emmanuel Kofi Opoku, Central Regional Chief Manager of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), attributed the situation to the erratic power supply to the Brimsu Dam, which is the main source of water supply to the Metropolis.

He explained that just as the power situation was improving, the “control panel” at the Brimsu Dam also broke down, but was quick to add that a new one had been procured and fixed.

Mr Opoku was hopeful that things would change very soon, adding that the situation would normalize by next week, since they had started processing and pumping water from the dam.

He said due to the frequent power outages, it had made it difficult to pump water from the dam.