The Takoradi port has began using desalination method to produce 75 gallons of potable drinking water per day from sea water to support the water demands of the port.
This milestone according to the acting director of the Takoradi Port, Captain James Owusu Koranteng has come about as a result of the collaboration between the Ghana Ports and Habours Authority GPHA, Viking Oil, Halliburton and Ghana Oil (Goil).
Captain Koranteng in an interview with Citi News indicated that production capacity of the plant is expected to increase to 15,000 gallons of water per day when other desalination plants come on stream.
This, he said will make the Takoradi Port more reliable.
“Hitherto supply vessels may have to come to Ghana, pick whatever they have to, but since there is no water, they may have to travel back to either Ivory Coast or nearby countries to lift water, but at the moment that is a thing of the past”. Captain Owusu remarked.
Currently, water from the desalination plant, which has been working for the past four weeks according to the captain, is used by supply vessels and the Takoradi Habour Hospital.
According to him, the 75 gallons of water per day is not enough, but there are plans for another desalination plant to come on stream.
“Giving two to three weeks, we are adding another battery of desalination plant which will produce another 320 tons of water per day,” Captain Owusu indicated.
He added that in their attempt to make supply of water to the port more reliable, the construction of a major tank with 12,000 gallon storage capacity of water is at the completion stage to store excess water produced.
These plans according to the director will help the port wean itself from relying on water from the Ghana Water Company Limited which has been rationing water in the Sekondi Takoradi Metropolis since the beginning of 2014.
Captain even hinted of a possible supply of water to the Ghana Water Company Limited to be distributed to the metropolis if a consensus is reached between the two parties.
By: Obrempong Yaw Ampofo/citifmonline.com/Ghana