Vakpo (V/R), Aug. 10, GNA - Safe Water Network (SWN), a non -governmental organization, with support from its stakeholders has unveiled Ghana's first public Any Time water Machine (ATM) at Vakpo in the North Dayi District.
The ATM, a water dispensing machine using smart cards and programmed per clients requirements, is expected to end the water shortage situation in Vakpo and its environs.
Mr Joseph Kofi Adda, the out-going Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, said access to basic social services including water supply remained a key priority of government.
He said through SWN efforts along with its partners, government was able to support communities to receive safely managed water that improved health, sanitation and living conditions.
Mr Adda said the introduction of water ATM would ensure access to water 24 hours a day, increasing convenience of water collection and ensuring transparency in revenue collection and accountability.
He encouraged water service providers to leverage against emerging technologies especially digital finance to provide safe water to consumers.
Mr Charles Nimako, Country Director, SWN, said the cashless system was a market-based module to help the community run the water system as a business.
He said SWN would provide the technical know-how, quality control and basic accounting system to run the facility.
Mr Nimako noted that though the community had clear tasteful water wells, it had very high levels of iron and magnesium, above the acceptable rate.
He said the new facility had attached to it an iron removal system to help provide acceptably safe drinking water.
Mr Kudjoh E. Attah, District Chief Executive, North Dayi, said government was working hard to achieve the “Water For All” Sustainable Development Goal programme by 2030.
He said a lot needed to be done in the communities and that the District was fast tracking its universal water coverage by 2020 and needed GHC2, 340,740.00 to achieve its agenda.
Mr Attah cautioned residents to shun open defecation because it could harm the quality of the water through leaching.
GNA
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