Tamale, April 12, GNA - Alhaji Abubakar Saddique Boniface, Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing, has reassured residents of Tamale and its environs that there would soon be a 24-hour uninterrupted water supply to them. He said the government had sourced 44 million euros from the Netherlands and was in the process of sourcing another 41 million euros from its development partners for the completion of the expansion of the Tamale water project.

Alhaji Boniface said this when he visited the site of Biwater Company, which is executing the project in Tamale on Friday. He said when completed, there would be potable water at all times adding that it would also help to Guinea worm cases in the region. Mr Edward Agyeman, project consultant of Biwater, said currently about 44 million gallons of water was being supplied to the Tamale Metropolis. He explained that the existing water treatment plant was established in 1972 and could only pump about 44 million gallons of water a day for the metropolis which then had a population of 20,000 as compared to a population of 300,000 presently.

Mr. Agyeman said Biwater had completed about 75 percent of the project with the laying of 15 kilometres of pipelines towards Kanvile, a suburb of Tamale. He said pipelines were also laid along the Yendi road while others were being replaced. Mr. Agyeman said Biwater had laid 45 kilometres of pipelines out of 94.6 kilometres of pipes required for the completion of the project. He said for the first time Biwater would be extending water to Kumbungu, Gbullum, Tolon and Nyankpala areas noted for the incidence of Guinea worm.

Alhaji Boniface also visited the Dalun water treatment plant and the Nawuni station, which is the source from which Tamale and its environs get their water supply.