At long last, Messrs Tahal Consulting Engineers Limited, the Israeli firm contracted to implement the Kumawu, Konongo and Kwahu water projects, has pitched camp at Kumawu to commence work, which is already12 months behind schedule.

The sod-cutting for the project was performed July 12 last year at Kumwau, but its take off delayed because the contractors could not have access to land to pitch camp and bring in the necessary equipment.

The Kumawuman Rural Bank, considering it as a major project, which would bring relief to the people in its catchment area, intervened and consequently, acquired six building plots of land released by Nana Akosua Agyeman Prempeh, alias Nana Adomako Pin, Obaapayin of Etia, a suburb of Kumawu, to enable the contractor settle down and commence work on the project.

The bank has, as at June, 2011, expended about GH ¢13,050 to facilitate the implementation of the Kumawu Water project.

Mr. Hayford Oppong Afriyie, a director of the Bank and Chairman of the Projects Committee of the Board, hoped the assistance by the bank would go a long way in solving the perennial water problem in the area, and improve access to reliable potable water supply for the communities throughout the year.

Once the contractor is settled, work on the US$120 million project for the people of Kumawu and Konongo in the Ashanti Region, and the Kwahu Ridge in the Eastern Region, is expected to commence anytime soon.

The three-kilometre water project, expected to be completed in 24 months, is being funded by Messrs Bank Hapoalim B. M. of Israel, under a mixed loan agreement entered into by the Ghana Government in April 2008.

The contractor would implement the Kwahu Ridge Water Supply Rehabilitation and Expansion project, Konongo Water Supply and Expansion project, and the Kumawu Water Supply project under the consultancy of ADK Consortium, representing the Ghana Government, per the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing, with the Ghana Water Company Limited as the Implementing Entity.

Under the Kumawu Water Supply project, a completely new system is to be constructed to serve Kumawu and 26 communities, after raw water has been drawn from the Afram River at Aframso for treatment, and pumped through two separate transmission lines to Kwaman, from where pumping shall be in three phases to beneficiary communities via the Kumawu system, which shall have five concrete ground level reservoirs at the treatment plant, as well as six concrete elevated 2,000 cubic metre capacity tanks at Drobonso, Kumawu, Jaduakom, Kwaman and Kyebi.