PURC Calls on Kyebi Chiefs to Help Halt Galamsey Destroying Eastern Region's Drinking Water

The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has made a direct appeal to traditional authorities in Kyebi to use their influence and standing to curb illegal mining activities that are contaminating water bodies and putting safe drinking water at risk for thousands of residents in Ghana's Eastern Region.

Dr Shafic Suleman, the PURC Executive Secretary, issued the appeal following a working tour of key utility infrastructure in the region, including facilities operated by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), and the Kyebi Water Treatment Plant. He made his remarks public during a media engagement in Koforidua.

Mountain Spring Turned Toxic by Galamsey

At the heart of the concern is the Kyebi Water Treatment Plant, which draws its water from a mountain spring located approximately seven kilometres from active galamsey sites. Dr Suleman revealed that pollution from those mining operations has been so severe that the spring now carries dangerously high levels of turbidity and iron — far beyond what the treatment plant was designed to handle.

When raw water is this heavily contaminated, treatment becomes more costly, less effective, and in some cases operationally impossible. For communities that depend on GWCL's distribution network, this translates directly into unreliable or unsafe tap water.

Dr Suleman stressed that solving the problem cannot rest with regulators and water engineers alone. Community participation and the moral authority of traditional leaders — particularly chiefs — are essential to protecting water catchment areas from further encroachment by illegal miners.

What This Means for Ghana's Ongoing Galamsey Fight

Ghana has battled the scourge of galamsey for years, with successive governments pledging crackdowns that have produced mixed results. The pollution of rivers and water bodies — most notably the Pra, Ankobra and Birim rivers — has long been identified as one of the most devastating consequences of unregulated small-scale mining.

What makes the PURC's intervention notable is its focus on the downstream, practical impact: compromised water treatment infrastructure. When water sources become too polluted to treat efficiently, utility companies face higher operational costs, and consumers ultimately bear the burden through unreliable supply or increased tariffs. The Eastern Region, which hosts a significant portion of Ghana's gold-bearing land, is particularly exposed to this risk.

Traditional leaders have historically played a role in land governance in Ghana, and the PURC's appeal reflects a recognition that legal and regulatory tools alone have not been sufficient to protect water bodies in mining-affected communities.

Electricity Challenges Compounding the Crisis

Beyond water quality, Dr Suleman highlighted a secondary problem worsening the situation: erratic power supply. He noted that electricity fluctuations during the evening peak hours of 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. were disrupting water treatment and distribution operations in both Koforidua and Kyebi. PURC has since engaged ECG management to prioritise stable power supply to the Eastern Region during these critical hours.

The Commission also reported progress on broader electricity challenges in the region. Persistent low-voltage problems in Akim Oda, attributed to overloaded transformers and ageing distribution lines, prompted a regulatory intervention through the Energy Commission that has so far benefited approximately 8,000 electricity consumers. Additionally, overloaded and faulty transformers in seven communities — including Asenanu, Asaman-Tamfoe and Asamankese — have been replaced and upgraded.

On consumer complaints, PURC said it received around 1,330 complaints from Eastern Region residents over the past year, resolving 1,303 of them. The majority related to erratic electricity supply, low voltage, billing discrepancies and metering disputes.

• Kyebi Water Treatment Plant's mountain spring source is heavily polluted by nearby galamsey operations.
• Around 8,000 consumers in Akim Oda have benefited from PURC's electricity supply intervention.
• PURC resolved 1,303 out of approximately 1,330 consumer complaints in the Eastern Region last year.