PROTECTING WATER BODIES (MARCH 23, 2010)

Yesterday was observed as World Water Day, on the theme, “Clean water for a healthy world”, with a durbar in Tarkwa in the Western Region.
There is no doubt in anybody’s mind about the importance of water in the daily endeavours of individuals and communities.
The lack of this basic but very priceless resource can create socio-economic, as well as health, challenges for the people.
In times past, community leaders used all kinds of interventions to protect water sources and bodies for the comfort and convenience of their societies.
Access to water is one of the key objectives of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the target date for the attainment of that objective is just about five years away.
The DAILY GRAPHIC thinks that as a country our actions towards securing access to water by 2015 are quite slow and we need to step up our efforts to make that goal attainable.
Ghana is blessed with many water bodies but their management has been very poor, resulting in the pollution or drying up of our rivers and streams.
Human activities such as environmental degradation and pollution have combined to affect the quality of water and access to it by communities, even in the urban areas.
Many people in the country have given up hope of accessing potable water in their communities. Even where they have access, the cost is very prohibitive.
Reports abound of some communities sharing water sources with livestock, thereby exposing consumers to water- borne diseases such as cholera, dysentery, guinea worm, Buruli ulcer and bilharzia.
We have for far too long paid lip-service to efforts at providing everybody with potable water.
The Daily Graphic calls on stakeholders in the water sector to work together with the communities to improve access to potable water. While efforts are stepped up to meet the 2015 MDG deadline, we must not lose sight of the cost of providing potable water.
The case of residents of Accra is a classic example of the unwillingness of consumers to pay more, making it difficult for the service providers to extend water to under-served areas.
Many residents of emerging communities buy water at a very high cost, while those in first-class residential areas are supplied with water at very reasonable rates and on a regular basis.
The provision of quality water is very critical for good human health and a friendly environment.
The DAILY GRAPHIC appeals to the authorities to come up with pragmatic policies to address the challenge of providing clean water for all.
Fortunately, the country is blessed with water sources; what the government needs to do is put in more resources to tap water for all communities in the country.
The daily search for potable water by women and children affects their output on the farms, at the markets, workplaces and in the schools.
The availability of clean water is key to the attainment of economic development. Therefore, let us all join forces with the government to protect our water bodies from contamination.
We should use this year’s celebration of World Water Day to come up with action plans to provide clean water for all communities by 2015.