The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has cautioned residents in communities affected by illegal mining against drinking or using polluted rivers and streams, warning that boiling contaminated water does not make it safe for consumption.
The Authority says water polluted by illegal mining activities may contain hazardous chemicals, including mercury, cyanide and arsenic, which cannot be eliminated through boiling.
In a statement, the EPA stressed that although boiling kills bacteria, it does not remove harmful chemical substances that may be present in galamsey-contaminated water.
An official of the EPA’s Twifo Praso office, David Agyekum Baidoo, said residents in several villages and hamlets within illegal mining communities continued to depend on polluted water bodies due to limited access to pipe-borne water.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency, he warned that the practice exposed residents to serious health risks, particularly those who drink, bathe in or use contaminated water for farming and livestock.
He explained that prolonged exposure to chemicals associated with illegal mining could result in kidney damage, neurological disorders and birth defects.
Mr Baidoo urged residents in affected communities to rely on treated water and other safe alternative sources instead of assuming that boiling polluted river water makes it suitable for domestic use.
He also called on residents to support the fight against illegal mining by reporting offenders to security agencies, stressing that timely information would help prevent further pollution and protect water bodies used for drinking, farming and fishing.
