Illegal dumpsite washed into Weija Lake after floods, raising public health fears - Adomonline
Adom Online
Last updated: June 15, 2026
An unauthorized landfill containing mixed waste, including heavy metals, has washed into Weija Lake, a primary water source for Accra. This contamination poses significant public health risks due to the presence of hazardous substances and potential for waterborne diseases.
- Illegal dumping along the River Jei resulted in a large volume of municipal, industrial, and e-waste, laden with heavy metals like lead, cadmium, and mercury, being swept into Weija Lake during recent floods. This poses an immediate threat to the drinking water supply for approximately 80% of Accra's residents, managed by Ghana Water Company Limited. Residents are experiencing the offensive smell of waste, and an increase in flies and mosquitoes, raising fears of disease outbreaks.
- Scientists have identified heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants (PAHs, PCBs), and microbiological contaminants (faecal coliforms, E. coli) in the polluted water. These substances can cause acute gastroenteritis, typhoid, cholera, and long-term health issues like irreversible neurodevelopmental damage in children from lead exposure, kidney disease from cadmium, and cancer from arsenic.
- Despite existing environmental laws, enforcement is weak, with low fines and fragmented agency coordination contributing to the ongoing problem. Similar contamination incidents have occurred previously, and heavy metals are expected to persist in the lake sediments for decades, posing a continuous threat to the water supply. Residents have been advised to cease drinking tap water until independent lab results confirm its safety.
