The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has revealed that despite the challenges it faces, it has achieved significant milestones in the provision of safe and sustainable water services to Ghanaians.
This was disclosed by the Director of Communication at GWCL, Stanley Martey, during the 2023 World Water Day celebrations, organised by the Revenue Mobilisation Africa (RMA).
According to Martey, the company has replaced and installed pumps of various types in most of its headworks to increase production to meet the demands of its customers. Bulk and commercial meters are also being replaced to enhance accurate reading and billing.
In addition, GWCL has achieved 99 percent compliance to the six key operational water quality parameters, which are pH, colour, alkalinity, turbidity, residual chlorine and bacteriological analysis. To meet the continuous demand for water and resonate with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)6 of ensuring water access for all by 2030, GWCL is expanding several water treatment plants and constructing new ones.
GWCL is also extending distribution mains in all the regions to increase water supply. These encouraging results, amidst all the challenges, indicate that the company is on track to fulfill its mission of providing safe and sustainable water services, prioritizing the health and well-being of Ghanaians.
To fulfill its commitment to delivering safe water, GWCL, with the support of the government, has invested close to US$700 million in nine projects throughout the country in the last five years. Currently, access to potable water in urban areas stands at 93 percent, including all interventions made by stakeholders within the urban water space. However, the national demand for urban water is 321 million gallons per day (MGD), while production is 199 MGD. GWCL, in collaboration with the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, is working to close the gap between the demand and supply, which is approximately 122 MGD.
Moreover, GWCL recognizes the importance of community engagement in ensuring the provision of safe water to Ghanaians. To this end, the company has set up a Low-Income Community Support Department with a vision to create a utility in which all city residents, especially the poor, women, and girls who live in low-income, informal settlements, and slums, can enjoy affordable, safe water and hygiene services of high standard.
During the World Water Day celebration organized by Revenue Mobilisation Africa (RMA), a speech read on behalf of Cecilia Abena Dapaah, the Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, indicated the importance of accelerating change through partnerships and cooperation to ensure the sustainable use of water resources.
She highlighted the negative impact of human activities on water quality globally, including Ghana, and the need to protect and preserve the quality and quantity of water bodies for present and future generations.
The Minister outlined several measures that the Ministry has undertaken to protect and preserve water bodies, such as developing the buffer one policy to address human activities close to the banks of the water bodies, restoration of degradation along the banks of major water bodies, and identifying new river basins for restoration of their banks.
Additionally, regulations relating to water use, groundwater development, and drilling license are being enforced, and steps initiated to develop regulations relating to water resources pollution prevention control and effluent discharge, in collaboration with other relevant agencies.
