Takoradi — Staff of the Western Regional office of Ghana Water Company Ltd (GWCL) on Thursday embarked on a health walk in Takoradi to create public awareness on the need for prompt payment of bills and settlement of arrears.

It formed part of measures by the GWCL to collect GH¢15 million owed by customers in the region.

Led by the Regional Chief Manager, Mac -Doe Hanyabui, the staff began the health walk from the regional head office through to the STC- Kokompe junction, Shippers' roundabout, the market circle in the Central Business District (CBD), Air Force junction and ended at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Some of the placards had the inscription 'Pay your bills via mobile money', 'Call toll free 0800 40000', 'Please report leakages', and 'stop polluting our rivers'.

Mr Hanyabui stressed that water bills could be paid through the mobile money on the various networks to enable GWCL operate effectively and serve customers and the public well.

He said that the GWCL was committed to executing a project to improve infrastructure, efficiency, quality and to be able to serve the public better.

Mr Hanyabui said, "we call it the Sekondi-Takoradi expansion project. We are going to supply additional 100,000 cubic metres of water a day. The contractors are on site and the design work is ongoing.

"This project should take us about 14 months to complete, and now about a month is already gone. So, hopefully, in the next 14 months the project will be completed and the water shortage in Sekondi-Takoradi will be a thing of that past. There is hope."

Mr Hanyabui said, currently, water treatment for Sekondi-Takoradi was 18,000 cubic metres far less than the expected 27,000 cubic metres, saying that the treatment plant at Inchaban was 100 years old, while the one at Daboase was over 50 years ."