PURC, Ministry, join forces for major water sector reform
The country is set for a significant transformation of its water sector as the Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources and the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) have commenced collaborative efforts to establish a comprehensive regulatory and licensing regime for all water service providers nationwide.
The landmark initiative, which is a key component of President John Dramani Mahama's "Reset Agenda," aims to culminate in the passage of a Clean Drinking Water Services Act.
This legislation, which has been conspicuously absent for decades, will bring Ghana in line with comparable economies that have long operated under such regulatory frameworks.
The Executive Secretary of the PURC, Dr Shafic Suleman, told the Daily Graphic in an interview that the absence of coherent legislation has been at the root of longstanding failures in service delivery, tariff management and accountability across the water sector.
“The Reset Agenda calls for urgent passage of comprehensive legislation and updated regulations to address long-standing challenges in service delivery, tariff management, and sector accountability,” Dr Suleman said.
Ministry backs reform
In a formal response to the PURC dated June 5, 2026, the Minister of Works, Housing and Water Resources, Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, signalled the government’s readiness to move decisively on the reform agenda.
The ministry commended PURC’s recognition of the evolving role of the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA), which is transitioning from a facilitation body into a utility service provider for rural and small-town communities and described the commission’s push to establish progressive regulatory mechanisms as “well noted and highly welcomed.”
“A key priority relates to regulation and licensing, which proposes the establishment of an independent institution to regulate the sector and implement a licensing regime for the various categories of water service providers,” the minister wrote, and added that the framework would include performance benchmarks, governance requirements and periodic service audits.
He disclosed that the ministry’s Director of Water had been tasked to work with the PURC to develop the regulatory and licensing regime and begin the registration of all water service providers nationwide, a baseline exercise that will underpin the eventual Water Services Act.
Four pillars of reform
Dr Suleman outlined four core areas the proposed framework seeks to address.
The first is legal clarity, consolidating overlapping laws to define distinct roles for the PURC, water service providers, local government and other agencies, while closing the regulatory gaps that have historically delayed decisions.
The second pillar targets service standards and accountability, introducing enforceable service delivery benchmarks, complaint resolution timelines and penalties for non-compliance.
On tariffs, the framework proposes evidence-based, predictable tariff-setting rules that protect vulnerable households, while ensuring utilities can sustain and expand infrastructure, a balance that has long eluded sector managers.
The fourth pillar focuses on data and transparency, mandating regular public disclosure of performance data, water quality results and investment plans.
What comes next
The PURC says it will convene technical working groups comprising utilities, civil society organisations, regulators and development partners to refine the draft framework.
A nationwide public consultation will follow before legislative proposals are submitted to the ministry.
The reforms are pegged to the National Water Policy, 2024, which calls for a holistic restructuring of the water sector.
