Fully restoring the Birim River, heavily polluted by illegal mining, will cost an estimated $35 million, the CEO of the Environmental Protection Authority, Nana Ama Brown Klutse, has disclosed.
Professor Klutse shared this during a pilot demonstration of ionic nano copper technology at Kyebi-Adukrom in the Eastern Region on February 24, 2026.
She noted that while the pilot has already shown noticeable improvements in treated sections of the river, applying the technology along the entire Birim River would demand substantial financial resources.
According to her, cleaning one kilometre of a flowing river costs roughly $200,000 using the ionic nano copper method.
With the Birim River stretching about 175 kilometres, she explained that the total cost of restoration comes to about $35 million.
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“It took us about $200,000 to procure an amount that will clean one kilometre of every flowing river body. The Birim River is about 175 kilometres, so you can do the mathematics, we are talking about $35 million,” she told Channel One TV.
Professor Klutse emphasised that although the pilot project has delivered promising outcomes in a short time, consistent funding will be essential to bring the river back to acceptable environmental standards.
The Birim River has faced significant degradation in recent years due to illegal mining, leading to poor water quality, damage to aquatic life, and limited access to safe water for riverside communities.
She added that employing ionic nano copper technology is part of a larger national initiative aimed at rehabilitating polluted waterways and enhancing long-term water resource management across the country.
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Source:
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