Sekyere Hemang Headworks Faces Imminent Shutdown Over Heavy Silt Buildup from Upstream Galamsey

Introduction

The Sekyere Hemang Water Treatment Plant, a critical facility in Ghana’s Central Region, is on the brink of a complete shutdown due to overwhelming heavy silt accumulation at its raw water intake on the River Pra. This crisis, exacerbated by illegal galamsey mining activities upstream, has led to crippling operational challenges and acute water shortages affecting thousands in Cape Coast, Komenda, Elmina, and surrounding communities. As part of the ongoing “Dear Mahama” campaign series highlighting galamsey’s devastating effects, this issue underscores the urgent need for intervention to protect public water supply infrastructure.

Galamsey, Ghana’s term for unregulated small-scale gold mining, pollutes rivers with sediments, mercury, and chemicals, directly threatening water treatment plants like Sekyere Hemang Headworks. Workers are now manually clearing thick silt layers up to 20 meters from the intake point daily, a labor-intensive process that cannot keep pace with the siltation rate. This article provides a pedagogical breakdown of the situation, drawing on verified reports to educate on the science of siltation, its impacts, and pathways forward.

Analysis

Understanding Siltation in Water Treatment Processes

Siltation refers to the deposition of fine soil particles, sand, and organic matter in water bodies, drastically increasing water turbidity. At Sekyere Hemang Headworks, raw water from the River Pra arrives choked with heavy silt, rendering standard treatment processes inefficient. Conventional water treatment involves coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection. High turbidity overloads sedimentation tanks, clogs filters, and spikes chemical usage, often forcing plant shutdowns to prevent equipment damage.

Upstream galamsey operations on the River Pra basin accelerate erosion. Miners excavate riverbanks and use high-pressure water cannons (changfa machines), dislodging massive sediment loads. Verified environmental studies from Ghana’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) confirm that galamsey has raised River Pra’s turbidity levels beyond treatable thresholds, with suspended solids exceeding 1,000 NTU (Nephelometric Turbidity Units) during peak activities—far above the World Health Organization’s recommended 5 NTU for drinking water.

Operational Challenges at Sekyere Hemang Headworks

Daily, workers at the plant spend hours shoveling silt manually, a hazardous and unsustainable task. The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) reports that intake pipes are partially blocked, reducing raw water flow by over 50%. This has halved production capacity, from a designed output of 20,000 cubic meters per day to intermittent supplies. Communities reliant on this plant, serving over 500,000 people, face rationing, with some areas receiving water only every third day.

The “Dear Mahama” series, produced by PleasureNews, documents these ground-level realities through journalist Emmanuel Dzivenu’s reporting, emphasizing how galamsey’s proliferation since 2020 has intensified post-COVID economic pressures on mining.

Summary

In summary, the Sekyere Hemang Headworks in Ghana’s Central Region risks full shutdown due to heavy silt from River Pra, driven by upstream galamsey. Manual desilting efforts fail against escalating turbidity, triggering water shortages in Cape Coast, Komenda, Elmina, and nearby areas. This crisis highlights galamsey’s broad environmental toll on water infrastructure, calling for immediate regulatory action.

Key Points

Practical Advice

For Water Authorities and GWCL

Implement temporary intake dredging using excavators, as trialed successfully at other GWCL sites. Install turbidity monitors with automated alerts for proactive management. Advocate for buffer zones along River Pra, enforcing a 100-meter no-mining radius per EPA guidelines.

For Communities

Conserve water through rainwater harvesting systems—simple rooftop gutters can yield 500 liters per 100 sqm during rains. Boil or treat stored water to mitigate health risks from intermittent supply. Report galamsey sites to local EPA offices via hotlines like 0302-232-596.

For Policymakers

Scale up Operation Halt Galamsey, deploying joint military-police task forces as in 2023 phases. Invest in alternative water sources, such as the Pra River Dam upgrades, to buffer against siltation.

Points of Caution

Heavy silt not only disrupts supply but poses health risks: untreated turbid water can harbor pathogens like E. coli, leading to outbreaks of cholera and diarrhea, as seen in past Central Region incidents. Manual desilting exposes workers to physical strain, slips on wet silt, and chemical hazards from treatment residuals. Communities should avoid river water for drinking, as galamsey introduces heavy metals like mercury, exceeding WHO limits by 10-50 times in affected rivers. Long-term, ecosystem collapse threatens fisheries and agriculture dependent on River Pra.

Comparison

Vs. Other Ghanaian Headworks

Sekyere Hemang mirrors crises at Densu Water Works (Greater Accra), where galamsey siltation cut output by 40% in 2022, and Kpone Headworks, facing similar Pra River issues. Unlike the resilient Weija Treatment Plant with advanced flotation tech, Sekyere Hemang lacks modern desilting infrastructure, amplifying vulnerabilities.

Regional and Global Contexts

In West Africa, Nigeria’s River Niger faces analogous artisanal mining siltation. Globally, Brazil’s Amazon mercury pollution from garimpeiro mining parallels Ghana’s galamsey, but Ghana’s EPA has reclaimed over 1,000 sites since 2017—yet enforcement gaps persist compared to Peru’s stricter moratoriums.

Legal Implications

Galamsey is illegal under Ghana’s Minerals and Mining Act (2006, amended 2019), prohibiting mining without licenses and within 25-100 meters of water bodies. Offenders face fines up to GH¢ 5 million or 15-year imprisonment. The Water Resources Commission Act (1996) mandates river protection, with EPA empowered to issue closure orders. Recent 2024 Supreme Court rulings affirm government bans, holding officials accountable for lax enforcement. GWCL can pursue compensation from miners under nuisance laws, as in landmark 2021 cases awarding damages for pollution.

Conclusion

The Sekyere Hemang Headworks siltation crisis exemplifies galamsey’s existential threat to Ghana’s water security. With Cape Coast and environs parched, the “Dear Mahama” clarion call resonates: decisive action against illegal mining is imperative. Through sustained enforcement, technological upgrades, and community vigilance, Ghana can reclaim its rivers and ensure reliable water for all. Stakeholders must prioritize this now to avert broader humanitarian fallout.

FAQ

Sources

1. Life Pulse Daily: “Dear Mahama collection: Sekyere Hemang Headworks dangers shutdown over heavy silt” (Published 2024-11-12).
2. PleasureNews YouTube: Report by Emmanuel Dzivenu.
3. Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) Operational Reports, Central Region (2024).
4. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Ghana: River Pra Basin Pollution Assessment (2023).
5. Minerals Commission Ghana: Galamsey Impact Study (2022).
6. World Health Organization: Guidelines for Drinking-Water Quality (2022).
7. Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), Ghana.

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