Some residents of the Ga Central Municipality, particularly those in the Anyaa-Sowutuom area, have appealed to the government and the Ghana Water Limited (GWL) to urgently intervene in the worsening water supply situation, which they said had persisted for the past five years.
They said the reliability of water supply had declined steadily over the years, forcing households to rely on alternative sources and placing a heavy financial burden on residents.
The situation is severer for residents living in elevated parts of the community, where water has been virtually unavailable for several years.
The persistent shortage has forced them to rely on expensive alternative sources, even when water is being supplied to other parts of the community.
Situation
When the Daily Graphic visited the area, some residents complained about the impact of the situation on their livelihoods.
A resident, Nana Mensah, explained that the irregular supply has made it increasingly difficult for households to carry out basic daily activities such as cooking, bathing, cleaning and other essential domestic needs.
He added that residents who were unable to store enough water when the taps flowed were forced to purchase water from tankers to meet their daily needs.
"I am still building my house and I spend GH¢300 every two weeks to purchase water from the private tankers for the project, while paying my monthly utility bills," Mr Mensah said.
Another resident, Patience Ameh, who has lived on a hill in the area for the past 11 years, said she had been forced to depend almost entirely on private water tankers and other alternative sources, spending about GH¢250 in addition to her monthly water bill.
She attributed the situation to inadequate water pressure in the municipal distribution system, which she said prevented water from reaching homes located on higher ground.
For her part, Augustina Moffat said the community initially experienced water supply on a bi-weekly basis, but the situation had gradually deteriorated to the point where residents could no longer predict supply.
"Why am I still paying a monthly municipal water bill when I'm forced to spend extra money on private water suppliers," she asked.
Appeal
The residents, therefore, appealed to the government and the GWL to urgently look into the persistent water shortage and implement lasting measures to fix the situation.
They also called on the authorities to address the pressure challenges and expand the water distribution system for residents living on higher ground to also benefit.
Furthermore, they urged the authorities to move beyond temporary interventions and provide a sustainable solution to the crisis, cautioning that the continued reliance on expensive private water sources was becoming increasingly unaffordable for ordinary households.
