THE Israeli ambassador to Ghana, Shani Cooper-Zubida, has recommended to the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources to recycle and reuse water for both commercial and industrial purposes.
According to Ms Cooper-Zubida, her country had chalked much success in the water agriculture sector though 70 per cent of the land of Israel was covered by the desert.
The Israeli ambassador said this on Friday, in Accra, when she paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Ms Cecilia Abena Dapaah at her office.
Accompanied by the head of Trade and Economic Mission to Ghana, Ayelet Levin Karp, the visit was to seek the minister’s consent for water projects her country intends to embark on and also discuss issues affecting the water sector in Ghana and how Israel could help tackle the challenges in the sector.
Ms Cooper-Zubida said, the reason behind her country’s success in the water sector was that water was recycled and reused for all purposes.
The recycled water, she explained, was used mostly in the agricultural sector which had also boosted her country’s economy.
Ms Cooper-Zubida said: “My country pays attention to every drop of water so no water goes waste,” and uses the drip irrigation system.
The drip irrigation system, she explained, was the use of a micro-irrigation system that has a potential to save water and nutrients by allowing water to drip slowly to the roots of plants, either from above the soil surface or buried below the surface.
She said most Israeli farmers use that form of irrigation, which according to her, would help boost agriculture in Ghana.
On her part, Ms Dapaah said Ghana had about 52 billion gallons of surface water but it was being misused.
This, she said, should not be allowed, indicating that government had plans of recycling water to avoid waste.
She stated that due to illegal mining and its associated menace, government was always on the lookout for the turbidity of most water sources.
Ms Dapaah said Ghana would need help in identifying the pollutants and contaminants that illegal mining had introduce to most water bodies in the country.
She stated that it was the hope of the government to contact experts that would help identify all the pollutants that have been introduced and make the water bodies safe for use.
“This is a serious issue and government is not relenting on its efforts to provide safe water for Ghanaians,” she added.
By JEMIMA ESINAM KUATSINU
