Book on Water launched

A BOOK titled Water Supply For The Consumer (A Concise Practical Guide) was on Thursday launched in Accra with a call on Ghanaians to acquaint themselves with the essence of water to human existence.
Speaking at the ceremony, the President of Ghana Institution of Engineers, Mr Fredrick Akwaboah, advised Ghanaians to educate themselves on the processes of water treatment to appreciate its value.
“Water is vital for us all,” he noted, stating that 70 per cent of the human body was water and as such Ghanaians should learn how to conserve water for the benefit of all.
Mr Akwaboah commended the author for taking time off his busy schedule to write such an innovative book on water preservation.
The Managing Director of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), Mr Cobbie Kessie, in an address read on his behalf by the Chief Manager in charge of Planning & Development of GWCL, Mr Kobina Garbrah, said the scarcity of potable water in spite of abundant water resources in Ghana was of much concern to the GWCL.
He commended the author for going the extra mile to write a book that would educate Ghanaian consumers of the requirements needed for the production of safe and potable water.
The Managing Director of Aqua Vitens Rand Limited (AVRL), Mr Andrew Barber, said he believed the author wrote the book for a special reason other than to make money from sales, adding that he believed the author wrote the book out of passion for the subject and acknowledged the expertise and professionalism with which the author treated the topic.
He promised that his outfit would purchase copies of the book for their regional managers and junior staff for their personal use, noting that in effect, it would encourage them to appreciate the service they provided.
The purpose of the book, according to the author, Mr Mathew A. Adombire, was to help consumers to understand the processes through which water reaches the consumer, as well as educate them on how to conserve and preserve it for future generations.
“It intends to conscientise them to demand fair services from water supply companies and also to inform them about the obligations of these companies,” he explained.
He said customers had the right and duty to point out the mistakes or non-performance of utility companies to them through their staff and that should not be seen as interference because consumers contributed immensely to the functioning and sustenance of these companies.
“Consumers expect their bills to be as low as possible,” he stated, noting that “consumers will be willing and eager to pay their bills promptly if in their candid opinion the utility is perceived to be performing efficiently within the constraints of the environment in which it operates”.
Mr Adombire noted that the book was a valuable reference material for staff of water supply companies to let them know their responsibilities and constantly remind them of public expectations of their performance.
“The material in this book is also applicable to other utility companies in several respects and will be useful for operators and consumers of such utilities,” he said.