Government commits to ensuring universal water access

The Minister of Works, Housing and Water Resources, Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring universal access to potable water.

He said the government would provide the necessary resources and policy interventions to allow Ghana Water Limited (GWL) to succeed in its mandate.

“Access to clean water is a fundamental right, and we will work closely with stakeholders to improve infrastructure, address operational challenges, and enhance service delivery,” he said.

Mr Adjei was speaking during a working visit to the GWL Head Office in Accra where he engaged with the management of the company.

Led by the company’s Managing Director, Adam Mutawakilu, the minister assessed the company’s operations, challenges and strategic initiatives aimed at improving water supply across urban areas in the country.

Visit

At the meeting, Mr Adjei commended the GWL for its efforts in expanding urban water supply and improving service delivery.

He acknowledged the crucial role the GWL played in urban water supply and pledged his support for enhancing the company’s efficiency.

He said the water sector development remained a priority for the government, as well as funding for infrastructure projects aimed at expanding water supply networks across the country.

He added that issues such as Non-Revenue Water (NRW) losses, infrastructure rehabilitation, and sustainable water management would be addressed by the government.

“The government also recognised the challenges GWL faced and will work together with management to overcome them through policy interventions and strategic investments,” he added.

Infrastructure

Giving an overview of the company’s operations, Mr Mutawakilu said it was currently operating 92 water systems, serving an estimated 17 million people.

He said the goal of the company was to continuously improve service delivery, enhance efficiency, and ensure financial sustainability.

To improve urban water supply, he said the GWL had undertaken significant projects, including the expansion of transmission lines to improve primary transmission networks from Kpong to Tema to enhance supply reliability.

He also mentioned, among others, the replacement of ageing pumps, installation of Automatic Voltage Regulators (AVRs), and dredging of water intake points at Sekyere Hemang, Owabi, Winneba and Nsawam.

Non-revenue water

The managing director indicated that NRW accounts for significant losses in the company’s revenue, impacting its ability to invest in system improvements.
NRW losses occur through leaks, theft and metering inaccuracies.

To mitigate that, he said the company was in the process of upgrading metering systems to improve accuracy, reducing billing errors and using technology such as drones and GIS mapping to detect and fix leaks promptly.

He said they were also encouraging responsible water usage and prompt bill payments.

“The Ghana Water Limited plans to reduce NRW by one to two per cent annually,” he said.

He added that scaling up e-business solutions and strengthening collaborations with government agencies to combat water source pollution, were some strategies the company was embarking on.

In view of water treatment plants, pumps and distribution pipelines, he said investments were being made to reduce downtime and improve operational efficiency through a Performance Improvement Programme (PIP).

He emphasised that the Ministry of Works, Housing, and Water Resources would work closely with GWL to ensure that urban water supply met growing demand while ensuring affordability.