The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has cautioned the public against indiscriminate dumping of solid waste and plastic materials, nationwide.
Mr Nicholas Nii-Abbey, the Bono Regional Communications Officer, GWCL said the menace was not only having consequences on the environment, but also poisoning and destroying water bodies.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani, Mr Nii-Abbey said littering of plastic waste and liquid substances were “hurting” the environment and water bodies.
Describing such behaviours as serious environmental crimes, he said “the bad attitude of the public was not only affecting water treatment, but can also lead to serious health issues, if not addressed.
He said illegal mining and logging were unfriendly to the environment and called for concerted efforts to tackle the problem.
With the onset of the rains, Mr Nii-Abbey said the indiscriminate dumping of solid waste, if not tackled could lead to outbreak of cholera and other water-borne diseases.
“The more turbid the water becomes, the more chemicals are required for treatment,” he said, and added that the cost of treatment was also expensive.
“It’s, therefore, critical that we all put our hands on the deck to improve environmental sanitation and protect our water bodies”, Mr Nii-Abbey stated.
