Story by, Nsor Paul Mensah
In an interview at the launch of a New Leakage Detection field in Accra today, Dr. Clifford Braimah, the Managing Director of Ghana Water LTD, emphasized the importance of providing affordable and accessible water to Ghanaian citizens.
Dr. Braimah acknowledged the challenges faced by communities without reliable access to Ghana Water's services. In these areas, residents often resort to purchasing water from private tankers, which can cost significantly more than the rates charged by the utility company.
"The question I'll always ask, what is the opportunity cost of Ghana water not getting water to the system?" Dr. Braimah stated. "In areas where we do not supply water, they find from panics. One, you don't know the quality of the water. Two, pay far more than what Ghana water company would have charged you."
The Ghana Water MD also expressed concerns about the quality and safety of water provided by private tankers, noting that they often use the same tanks for construction purposes without proper disinfection.
Dr. Braimah assured citizens that the utility's regulator, the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PRC), would not simply impose unrealistic cost increases that do not benefit consumers. Instead, he emphasized that any resources taken by Ghana Water would be used to improve services and deliver value to customers.
"Whatever resources that we take is to the benefit of the consumer, because we use that resource to improve the services to the consumer," he said.
The launch of the new leakage detection field is part of Ghana Water's efforts to enhance the efficiency and reliability of its water distribution network, ultimately ensuring more Ghanaians have access to affordable, clean water.
In a groundbreaking collaboration, the city of Denmark, and the city of Tema, Ghana, have joined forces to tackle the pressing issue of non-revenue water loss in the Ghanaian municipality.
The partnership, now in its sixth year, brings together experts from both countries to find innovative solutions and train local personnel to effectively detect and repair water leaks.
According to the Ambassador of Denmark to Ghana His Experience Tom Norring at the event said Ghana has managed to reduce its own water loss to an impressive 4.5%, and the city is eager to share its expertise with its Ghanaian counterpart.
"We do have a lot to bring to the table where we and it's in a very, very good cooperation between experts from Denmark, from Ghana water and experts from Denmark always water, and experts from Ghana water who worked together finding solutions," said a speaker in the provided context.
He said the collaboration aims to not only provide infrastructure improvements but also ensure that Ghana Water Institute graduates are equipped with the necessary skills to identify and address water leaks. This targeted training is crucial, as the context highlights that simply recognizing the problem is not enough - the ability to pinpoint the exact location and cause of the leaks is essential for effective remediation.
The impact of water loss extends beyond the financial burden, as every drop lost means either increased production costs or reduced access to clean, affordable water for the people of Tema. The context notes that alternative water solutions, such as sachet water, can be up to 10 times more expensive, highlighting the importance of a reliable and cost-effective municipal water supply.
As the partnership enters its sixth year, the stakeholders remain committed to finding sustainable solutions that will ensure Tema's residents have access to clean, affordable drinking water. The action items outlined in the context include providing more pipes and solutions, as well as continuing the training of local experts to maintain the progress made.
This collaborative effort betweent the two countries and Tema serves as a model for how international partnerships can tackle complex water challenges and improve the lives of communities around the world.