Relief is in sight for residents of the Central Region grappling with a severe water crisis, as authorities announce that the Kwanyako Water Treatment Plant will soon resume operations following dredging and maintenance works at its raw water intake point.

The prolonged scarcity has hit districts including Awutu Senya West, Gomoa East, Gomoa West, Agona East, and Agona West, where many residents have been forced to rely on unsafe water sources, leading to rising cases of waterborne infections.

The crisis was triggered by the breakdown of the plant’s pumping stations, caused by heavy silting of the Ayensu River. Authorities attribute the silting to illegal mining activities upstream in the Eastern Region.

The situation has also disrupted academic work in schools such as Potsin T.I. Ahmadiyya Senior High School, where Headmaster Mohammed Abdulai Quantson lamented the impact on students’ learning conditions.

In a bid to provide temporary relief, Vice President Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has donated two 5, 000-liter water storage tanks to each of the affected districts.

Speaking on her behalf, Central Regional Minister Eduamoah Okyere Ekow Panyin assured that the crisis will soon be addressed.

“The Ayensu River will be dredged and maintenance works carried out at the Kwanyako headworks to restore operations,” he said.

He added that other interventions, including drilling boreholes and protecting alternative water sources, are also under consideration.

The Minister further stressed the government’s commitment to tackling illegal mining along the Ayensu River, describing it as a crucial step in restoring the river’s natural state and securing a sustainable water supply for the region.