By Prince Ahenkorah
The war on galamsey has just hit your wallet. The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) is pointing a big, muddy finger at illegal mining as the primary culprit behind its shocking request for a 280% water tariff increase.
This isn’t your average price hike. This is the steepest proposed adjustment yet, dwarfing even the Electricity Company of Ghana’s (ECG) own hefty 225% demand. It’s a proposal that has everyone talking—and many worried.
The High Cost Of Muddy Rivers
According to GWCL, treating the water we drink has become an expensive nightmare. Galamsey has turned our once-clean water bodies into thick, polluted messes. The company says it’s now spending a fortune on chemicals like alum and lime just to make the water remotely drinkable.
But it’s not just about chemicals. The constant silt and sludge are wrecking their equipment, causing frequent breakdowns and forcing them to spend more on repairs and replacements.
This means more downtime and more money out of their pocket—and ultimately, out of yours.
Comparing Water To Gold?
GWCL argues that its current prices are a joke compared to what you’d pay for other water sources. They laid out the numbers, and they’re eye-opening:
* A thousand litres of sachet water? A cool GH¢1,000.
* The same amount in bottled water? A whopping GH¢6,000.
* GWCL’s current price for that same volume? A measly GH¢5.28.
The company insists this massive jump isn’t just about making more money. It’s about survival. They need the funds to keep up with the rising costs of pollution, fix aging equipment, and expand their supply to areas that still don’t have access to clean water.
Without the increase, GWCL warns, the taps could run dry—or worse, the water that comes out of them might not be safe. The true cost of galamsey, it seems, isn’t just measured in environmental damage; it’s now a bill headed straight for every household in Ghana.