Ghana Water Limited (GWL) is spending GHS 5 million to fix old water pipes. These pipes lose a lot of water before it reaches homes. The repairs will help bring more water to people in Tema and parts of Accra. This is a big step to stop the waste.
The company discovered that old, leaky pipes are a major reason for water loss. Nearly half of the water made at the Kpong Water Treatment Plant is lost. This happens on the journey to Tema. Water theft and illegal taps also cause this problem. GWL calls this 'non-revenue water'. In 2024, more than half of all water produced was lost this way.
This situation affects Ghana's economic plans. Reliable water is needed for homes and businesses to grow. High water losses mean that more money must be spent to produce water that is never used. This is a problem for public finances. GWL's 2024 figures showed non-revenue water at 52.2 per cent. This is a significant amount of lost resources.
Adam Mutawakilu, the Managing Director of GWL, explained the situation. "That triggered us as a new management to investigate exactly what is causing the water losses," he said. The pipes in the Tema and Accra West areas are over 70 years old. This means they are in bad shape. “From the assessment we did, almost about 40 per cent of the water produced from Kpong gets lost through leakages before it reaches Tema,” Mr. Mutawakilu stated. He believes the critical repairs will be finished in three months.
Fixing these pipes will help make sure water systems can handle more pressure. New pumps are set to be installed at Kpong later this year. These pumps will increase water flow. Stronger pipes are essential to prevent more leaks. GWL is also working to find and remove illegal water connections. A special team has found nearly 400 illegal taps in Accra. This crackdown aims to recover lost money and punish wrongdoers.