Over 5,000 Ghanaians in the villages of Sanzule, Krisan and Bakanta, in the Western region, will benefit from a new, solar-powered water system built by Eni Ghana and its Offshore Cape Three Points (OCTP) partners GNPC and Vitol.

The water project consists of one water plant that treats groundwater to World Health Organization (WHO) Standards, in order to provide drinkable water for the inhabitants of Bakanta, Krisan, and Sanzule, three coastal communities in OCTP project area of influence.

 “This water system was designed by to respond to the needs of the communities and in the desire to have a positive impact on their daily lives”, Eni Ghana’s Managing Director Giancarlo Ruiu said. “It was designed with the communities and for the communities, in the spirit of collaboration and dialogue with host countries that is the cornerstone of Eni’s way of doing business, since its foundation”.

The decision to build this water system is based on a needs assessment carried out to understand what interventions the OCTP JV could make in order to improve the standards of living. The lack of good potable water was a major concern for community members: most of these communities were using water from hand-dug wells for domestic activities, including cooking.

The water plant comprises one water system with a fetching point, a water purification equipment (Reverse osmosis, chlorination, filters and UV are used in the purification process), storage tanks with pipes and fittings located at Sanzule community. Water connection pipes take water from the well to fetching points at Bakanta and Krisan, 2-3km apart. The plant is powered by solar energy and is connected to the national grid as a backup.

To increase project awareness amongst community members, WASH campaigns were conducted in schools, churches, door to door and at public gatherings like meetings with the Chiefs and Elders. Hand washing basins were supplied in five schools in the communities.