As
water consumers across the country complain about the nationwide water
shortage and rationing exercise recently announced by the Ghana Urban
Water Company Limited, the New Crusading Guide newspaper can report
without fear of contradiction that the safety of the little drops of
water that rarely run our taps is not guaranteed, as chemists of the
Ghana Urban Water Company Limited rely on expired chemicals to purify
water.
In the face of recent UNICEF reports that poor quality of
water is responsible for the spread of deadly diseases such as cholera,
dysentery, typhoid and poliomyelitis, investigation conducted by the New
Crusading Guide has revealed that consumers may be drinking polluted
water as a result of the continuous use of expired aluminum sulphate to
purify contaminated water coming for the various rivers that serve the
country.
One of the most important uses of aluminum sulfate is in
water treatment and purification. When added to water, it causes tiny
dirt to clump together into larger particles. These clumps of impurities
will then settle to the bottom of the container or at least get large
enough to filter them out of the water. This makes the water safer to
drink.
But of the most important uses of aluminum sulfate is in
water treatment and purification. When added to water, it causes tiny
dirt to clump together into larger particles. These clumps of impurities
will then settle to the bottom of the container or at least get large
enough to filter them out of the water. This makes the water safer to
drink.
But this fact notwithstanding, GUWCL officials are busily
carting sacks of the expired chemicals to their mile 18 central stores
in Tema, pending distribution to the various regions for use.
Already,
truckloads of the expired Alum have been distributed to some stations
including Weija where engineers are on a collision course with the
chemist over the use of the chemical.
The chemicals which were
manufactured in China on June 10, 2011, expired on June 9, 2012, even
before the company completed arrangements to clear the first heave of
550 bags on February 1, 2013. Subsequently on 1st, 4th, 7th, 8th and
11th of February the other consignments were cleared to the same stores
ready to be distributed to the various stations across the country.
Although
our sources say the Ghana Standard Board has given approval for the use
of the expired chemicals for water treatment, experts say consumers may
end up drinking contaminated water since the expiry date of a chemical
simple means that it is not rock stable up to that date and immediately
starts degrading after that date.
“Expiration dates on chemicals
are a critical part of determining if the product is safe to use and
will work as intended. Expired chemicals can be less effective or risky
due to a change in composition or decrease in potency” an expert said.
Apart
from this latest incident, the paper learnt that in a similar fashion
it took the security services to move in upon a tip-off to clear the
company’s stores of some expired lime which was meant for water
treatment.
As at press time, checks at Weija hinted that security
officials in a rather late move arrested a truckload of the expired
chemicals that was making its way to the station. Questions have
therefore been raised as to how the products were first cleared for use
by the water company without being noticed by the security agencies.
“If
they have really tested and are saying it’s good for consumption, why
then the arrest, we are convinced that somebody is trying to cover up
for the culprits,” our sources lamented.
It is however clear
that, as critical as the nation’s water crisis is, most of the GUWL’s
initiatives, interventions and remedial measures are driven by
corruption, as officials take advantage of such situations to line their
pockets at the expense of the state.
Engineers working at the
various stains have laid the blame at the doorstep of the head of
procurement, Madam Dora Bornah and her deputy, Mr. Stephen Dampare who
they accuse of complicity in what they term as one of the dirtiest
scandals that has ever rocked the company since its inception. The
disgruntled workers also called for the prosecution of the officials in
question and also the Acting MD of GUWL who they accused of
superintending the rot.
They told this paper “there are dirty
deals with the acquisition of these chemicals, sometimes substandard
chemicals are purchased for use and we dare not complain”.
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