The Bono Regional Office of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has moved to calm growing public anxiety over a prolonged water shortage in the Sunyani Municipality, assuring residents that urgent steps are being taken to restore supply.

For weeks, households across Sunyani have endured dry taps, with many calling on the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) to explain the persistent disruption. The situation has sparked frustration among residents who depend on a stable water supply for daily living.

Responding to the outcry, PURC mandated to serve as the intermediary between consumers and utility providers says it has intensified engagement with GWCL and launched independent investigations into the crisis.

In an interview, the Bono Regional Manager of PURC, Patrick Antwi, revealed that the Commission has received a surge of complaints over the past month regarding the absence of water flow. He said this prompted an on-the-ground inspection of the Abesim Water Treatment Plant, the main facility supplying water to Sunyani.

“Over the past few weeks, we have received numerous complaints about the lack of water supply. We therefore took it upon ourselves to investigate the matter independently, including a visit to the Abesim treatment plant,” Mr. Antwi stated.

According to him, findings from the inspection pointed to a sharp increase in turbidity levels an indication of high sediment concentration in the water which has significantly affected treatment operations.

“At the plant, we observed that turbidity levels had risen considerably, making it difficult for some of the pumps to effectively treat water from the Tano River. In some instances, operations had to be halted,” he explained.

Following this discovery, PURC summoned the management of GWCL for further engagement. During the meeting, the company confirmed the operational challenges caused by the high turbidity levels, acknowledging that the situation has disrupted consistent water production.

GWCL officials, however, indicated that the causes of the elevated turbidity are complex and not attributable to a single factor. They cited possible contributors including sand winning activities along riverbanks, illegal mining upstream, and heavy rainfall, all of which can increase sediment flow into the Tano River.

“Activities such as sand winning near water bodies, illegal mining upstream, and heavy rainfall can all contribute to rising turbidity levels,” Antwi noted.

“These factors are being considered, but further investigations are required to establish the exact cause.”

To address the situation comprehensively, PURC has initiated plans for a tripartite engagement involving GWCL and the Water Resources Commission, which oversees the management and protection of the country’s water bodies.

The collaboration aims to identify the root causes and implement sustainable, long-term solutions.

Additionally, a technical team from PURC’s Water Directorate in Accra is expected to visit the region to conduct independent assessments, including water sampling and laboratory analysis, to ascertain the quality and condition of the water supply.

Mr. Antwi assured residents that PURC remains fully committed to resolving the crisis and is maintaining continuous engagement with GWCL.

“We want to assure consumers that we are actively monitoring the situation and engaging GWCL on a daily basis to ensure a swift resolution. Our goal is to restore reliable water supply and guarantee the quality of service that residents deserve,” he affirmed.

As investigations intensify, residents of Sunyani remain hopeful that the combined efforts of regulators and service providers will soon bring relief to a community increasingly strained by the absence of a vital resource.

*Reporting by Daniel Donkor, Bono Region*