Management of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has announced a planned spillage of excess water from the Weija Dam.

The exercise is scheduled for Tuesday, March 30, 2021, at 6 am.

Areas to be affected are Tetegu, Oblogo, Pambros Salt, Lower McCarthy Hill, Lower Weija, Bojo Beach, Ada Kopey and surrounding communities.

Officials of the company in a statement said the spillage has become necessary to avert a possible collapse of the dam because of the sudden rise of the level of the dam from 46.2 feet to 48.1 feet within a 24-hour period.

“Management of Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) wishes to inform the public, that it will begin spillage of excess water from the Weija dam at 6:00 am on Tuesday 30th March 2021. The safe operating level of the Weija Dam is 47ft, however, the level has risen to 48.1ft within a day, thereby prompting the spillage exercise to prevent a possible collapse of the dam”, the release noted.

Meanwhile, the GWCL has asked the public, institutions and organizations who have properties downstream of the imminent danger and urged them to take the necessary precautionary measures.

It has thus tasked the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), the National Security, Bureau of National Investigation (BNI), Chiefs, District Assembly, opinion leaders and other stakeholders around the dam to adequately prepare to avoid any eventuality.

Best described as a perennial occurrence, residents along the dam have on times like this lamented the spillage without ample notice from GWCL authorities.

More often than not, they are displaced due to flooding after the spillage.

The residents constantly appeal for storm drains to help with the drainage of run-off water.

In October 2020, the Weija-Gbawe Municipal Assembly said plans were in place for the construction of wider drains along the streets of Weija to address the perennial flooding in the area.

Municipal Chief Executive for Weija Gbawe, Patrick Kumor, noted that the government is committed to ending the recurrent flooding in the municipality.

“The problem is not that the drains are choked. The drains are not big enough to carry the volume of water that comes in. It is for this reason that the government is working on expanding the drains. We are constructing a bigger drain that can contain the volumes of water that come in. Plans are far advanced and it should start before the end of the year.”

But almost a year after, no major activity has taken place.

Below is the full statement from the GWCL:

WEIJA DAM SPILLAGE

Management of Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) wishes to inform the general public, that it will begin spillage of excess water from the Weija dam at 6:00am on Tuesday 30th March, 2021

This has become necessary because of the sudden rise of the level of the dam from 46.2 feet to 48.1 feet within a 24-hour period. The safe operating level of the Weija Dam is 47ft, however, the level has risen to 48.1ft within a day, thereby prompting the spillage exercise to prevent a possible collapse of the dam.

Management has informed the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), the National Security, Bureau of National Investigation (BNI), Chiefs, District Assembly, opinion leaders and all stakeholders downstream the dam to be in readiness or evacuate the area to avoid any eventuality. By this release, Management of GWCL is also informing the general public as well as institutions and organizations who have properties downstream of the imminent danger and therefore, must take the necessary precautionary measures.

Affected communities include; Tetegu, Oblogo, Pambros Salt, Lower McCarthy Hill, Lower Weija, Bojo Beach, Ada Kopey and surrounding communities.

END