Worsening Tamale water crisis:  Bupiala residents scoop water from dried dam  …to quench thirst

RESIDENTS of Bupiala have been hit hard by the acute water shortage that has engulfed the Tamale Metropolis for some time now, follow­ing the drying out of the Bupiala Dam.

The dam which served as a major source of water for residents in Bupiala, and those living within its immediate environs went dry due to the prolonged dry spell and unprecedented high levels of heat being experienced in the north­ern part of the country.

This has exacerbated the already precarious water situation in the area, taking a heavy toll on residents, as they have to travel long distances scavenging for water.

For some time now, the Tamale Me­tropolis and its environs have run short of water, due to the inability of the Ghana Water Limited (GWL) to supply the water demands of the growing population.

According to GWL the daily demand for water in the metropolis stands at 90,000 cubic metres, while production is between 35,000 and 38,000 cubic me­tres, indicating demand outstrips supply.

The Ghanaian Times has gathered that the Tamale water system was built in 1972, with only one major expansion in 2008, but still lacks the capacity to meet the growing demands of the sprawling metropolis.

Though the metropolis have been experiencing intermittent water short­ages, this year’s has been severe as the long dry spell has dried out a number of dams which served as the alternative sources of water for residents.

The situation has become so dire that residents compete with animals for water from some of the muddy puddles around.

A visit by The Ghanaian Times to Bu­piala last Tuesday revealed the hardship residents go through in getting water on daily basis for domestic use.

Not only has the situation impacted domestic users, but also plants and animals who depended on it have come under intense pressure.

The dam which was once a vital source of sustenance has turned into a playground for children, who chase each other across its dry, hardened floor.

It has become a common scene as both women and children, armed with rusted tins and buckets were seen dig­ging tirelessly into the hard ground of the dam for hours, desperately trying to find water, The Ghanaian Times observed.

According to a herder who operates in the area, Alhassan, “Even the cattle refuse to drink from the puddle within the dam due to the colour of the water. They just sniff, play in it, and walk away.”

The desperation of residents is en­capsulated by Amina Seidu, a mother of four who had blisters in her hands due to digging for water from the ground.

“We have no money like others to buy water. So, we come here at dawn to dig and fetch. Sometimes, we’re lucky to get two buckets before the sun rises, she told The Ghanaian Times.

She explained that beyond their personal suffering, the drying up of the dam had devastated the once-thriving ecosystem of the area.

On his part, the Assemblyman for the area, Haruna Alhassan, expressed deep concern over the situation.

“This is more than just a seasonal inconvenience — it is a humanitarian crisis. We’ve made countless appeals for intervention, but the people of Bupiala continue to suffer in silence,” he said.