The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has warned residents of communities affected by illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, against drinking or using contaminated river and stream water, stressing that boiling polluted water does not make it safe for human consumption.
The Authority explained that water polluted by illegal mining activities may contain dangerous chemicals, including mercury, cyanide and arsenic, which cannot be removed through ordinary boiling.
According to the EPA, the widespread belief that boiling galamsey-contaminated water makes it safe for drinking and other domestic purposes is misleading and could expose residents to serious health complications.
“The notion that boiled galamsey-contaminated water is safe for drinking and other domestic activities is false. While boiling kills bacteria, it does not remove harmful chemicals such as mercury and cyanide,” the Authority cautioned.
EPA Raises Alarm Over Health Risks of Galamsey Pollution
An official of the EPA’s Twifo Praso office, David Agyekum Baidoo, disclosed that residents in several villages and settlements within illegal mining areas continue to depend on polluted rivers and streams because they lack access to reliable pipe-borne water.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency, Baidoo warned that using contaminated water for drinking, bathing, farming and livestock activities could expose residents to dangerous chemicals associated with illegal mining.
He explained that prolonged exposure to toxic substances such as mercury, cyanide and arsenic could cause serious health problems, including kidney damage, neurological disorders and birth defects.
The EPA official therefore urged residents in galamsey-affected communities to avoid using polluted water bodies and instead depend on properly treated water and other safe alternative sources for their domestic needs.
Boiling Galamsey-Contaminated Water Does Not Remove Toxic Chemicals
The EPA emphasised that although boiling water can destroy harmful bacteria and other disease-causing microorganisms, it cannot eliminate toxic heavy metals and chemical pollutants introduced into water bodies through illegal mining activities.
Residents have consequently been advised not to assume that boiling water collected from polluted rivers and streams makes it suitable for drinking, cooking or other household activities.
The warning comes amid growing concerns about the environmental and public health consequences of illegal small-scale mining, which continues to threaten Ghana’s rivers, forests and sources of drinking water.
EPA Urges Residents to Report Illegal Mining Activities
Baidoo also appealed to residents to support the fight against illegal mining by reporting individuals and groups involved in activities that threaten the environment.
He encouraged community members to provide timely information to security agencies to help authorities identify offenders, prevent further water pollution and protect rivers and streams used for drinking, agriculture and fishing.
The EPA reiterated the importance of public cooperation in tackling galamsey and safeguarding Ghana’s natural resources for present and future generations.
Source: newsthemegh.com