The Management of Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has assured residents of the Bono East and Ahafo Regions that water reaching their homes from the company is safe for consumption.

The water distributing company on Wednesday indicated that “water treated by GWCL meets the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) standards before it is pumped into the system for consumption.”

The assurance followed alert by the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) warning to residents in an around Tanoso area to stay away from drinking from the Tano River which it said had been poisoned.

The warning came after an articulated truck transporting the car batteries from Kumasi in the Ashanti Region to Burkina Faso, it fell into the Tano River at directly opposite the GWCL treatment plant at Techiman-Tanoso raising panic among the residents.

However, GWCL in the statement has indicated that its treatment plants are equipped to ensure that water is treated well to the required standard before it is pumped to households for consumption.

“The Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for pH testing is hourly on daily basis but has currently been reduced to 30 minutes due to the current situation and also under 24-hour surveillance.”

Management of the company, according to the statement, is working closely with NADMO, Water Resource Commission and the District Assemblies in the area to restore the river to its normal state.