Authorities of the Ghana Water Company are due to spill water from the Weija Dam in Accra from Wednesday due to what it termed as an “astronomical rise” in the water level.
The dam, which takes its source from the Atiwa Mountains in the Eastern Region, has reached its safety operating level, thus making the impending spilling inevitable in order to safeguard life and property.
“As at this morning [Tuesday] the level was 47.3ft. Yesterday around same time, it was around 47ft which means that in less than 24 hours it’s risen by .3ft which is not usual,” Communication Manager of the company, Stanley Martey said.
“So if it should increase again by the same margin tomorrow [Wednesday] then we should start spilling,” he said Tuesday night on TV3’s News @10. Mr Martey noted the water level usually rises at a rate of between .1ft and .2ft within a 24-hour period.
“We wouldn’t want to attain 48 feet because it is dangerous for the dam but now that we’ve gone above 47ft we shouldn’t go above 47.5ft. So if there is an increase tomorrow morning, even if it is by .1ft, we’ll start spilling,” he added.
The spill is likely to cause flooding in homes along the watercourse downstream the dam, hence authorities are warning residents of Tetegu, Oblogo, Pambros Salt, Lower McCarthy Hill, Weija, Bojo Beach and Ada Kopey to evacuate their homes.
Mr. Martey said the people have been properly been informed about the impending spillage for them to take precautionary measures, adding that all appropriate authorities have also been alerted.
“So our expectation is that they would take the necessary precautionary measures to forestall any eventuality,” Mr Martey said.
The Weija dam formed over the Densu River in the Ga South Minicipality, covers an area of about 9,000 square hectares and supply potable piped water to over 2.5 million people in Accra East and West.
Since this year, the dam has water has been spilled from the dam twice in Apirl and June due to heavy downpour in the Nsawam area that caused the water level to rise above the safety operating level. Each time water was spilled hundreds of residents get displaced while the floods destroy properties of recalcitrant residents.
The impending spillage becomes the third since the beginning of the year.
By: Stephen Kwabena Effah|editors.3news.com|Ghana
Twitter: @steviekgh
