Residents in Dodowa, Adenta, and other parts of the eastern Greater Accra Region have been without water for nearly a week.
The reason for this challenge remained a mystery until a report by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) reported that the Ghana Water Company Limited is fixing a burst in a major transmission line from the Kpong Treatment Plant to the Dodowa Booster Station.
The water supply disruption, which began on Sunday, August 25, 2024, has affected multiple communities, including Oyibi, Frafraha, Madina, Ashongman, Haatso, La, Osu, Kanda, the Airport Residential Area, Legon, and surrounding areas.
The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), according to the GNA, issued a statement explaining that the water outage occurred after a section of the main transmission line from the Kpong Treatment Plant failed, leading to the immediate suspension of supply.
Engineers were dispatched to repair the damaged line, but after completing the initial work, further weaknesses were detected in the same transmission line, prompting a second shutdown for additional repairs.
In a statement signed by Mr. Stanley Martey, Chief Manager of Public Relations and Communications, referenced by GNA, GWCL assured residents that engineers are working around the clock to replace the weak sections of the transmission line. The company remains committed to resolving the issue and restoring water supply as quickly as possible.
“We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused to our valued customers and are doing everything possible to ensure a swift resolution,” the statement said.
While the repairs are ongoing, GWCL has implemented contingency measures to mitigate the impact on essential service providers, including hospitals and schools in the affected areas. These institutions are being supplied with water via tanker services to ensure that critical operations can continue uninterrupted.
Frustrated residents of Accra have taken to social media to express their outrage over the Ghana Water Company Limited’s (GWCL) silence on an ongoing water shortage that has plagued parts of the city for nearly a week.
Communities in the eastern part of Greater Accra, including Madina, Adenta, Dodowa, and their surroundings, have been without water since Sunday, August 25, 2024.
Amidst the significant disruption, many netizens have criticized GWCL for failing to effectively communicate with the public regarding the cause of the outage and the expected timeline for restoration.
“Madina has been without water đź’§ for the past 5 days and I have not heard anything from @GWCL_Gh about why our taps ain’t flowing! Is this how public service institutions are supposed to act?” one user lamented on social media.
It is irresponsible of GWCL to cut water supply without prior notice. What nonsense?
Another exasperated user wrote, “@GWCL_Gh do you people take us for a joke or what? We pay for bills every month but you’re not providing water for our homes. Why are all you government institutions so incompetent with your services? Stressing the lives of the good people of Ghana.”
I have to come ask you why water ain’t flowing ? Don’t you think it is the responsibility of GWCL to communicate to the people why water no dey flow? Ah chale how dem employ you? Your mind dey floor flat.. gyimisem sei.. nonsense
GWCL, in a statement, according to the Ghana News Agency has explained that the interruption was due to a burst in the transmission line from the Kpong Treatment Plant to the Dodowa Booster Station. Engineers had been dispatched to repair the damage, but further weaknesses were detected in the same line, leading to additional delays.
The company assured the public that they are working tirelessly to resolve the issue and restore water by Wednesday, August 28, 2024, barring any unforeseen challenges.
As of now, the statement from GWCL being referenced by GNA is yet to be accessible to members of the general public.
The GWCL’s explanation has done little to calm the anger of residents. One user fumed, “I have to come ask you why water ain’t flowing? Don’t you think it is the responsibility of GWCL to communicate to the people why water no dey flow? Ah chale how dem employ you? Your mind dey floor flat.”
GWCL is said to have assured the public that they are prioritizing essential services such as hospitals and schools, which are being supplied with water through tankers while the repairs are underway.
“We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused to our valued customers and are doing everything possible to ensure a swift resolution,” the company said in a statement signed by Mr. Stanley Martey, Chief Manager of Public Relations and Communications, which has been referenced by GNA.
Despite this, netizens remain frustrated by the lack of proactive communication from the water company, calling for more transparency and regular updates as the crisis drags on.
Several communities in the Tema East district, including Saki-Bediako, Michel Camp, Golf City, and surrounding areas, are grappling with a severe water shortage.
Residents have been without running water for the past three days, causing significant disruptions to their daily lives.
The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has come under fire from the affected residents who are calling for immediate action and clear communication regarding the prolonged water supply disruption. The frustration among residents is palpable as they face mounting difficulties due to the lack of access to essential water services.
Sampson Ampah, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the GWCL in the Tema Region, acknowledged the gravity of the situation.
He revealed that the issue is not localized but affects a broad area. “I am talking about a very large catchment area. I am talking about Saki-Bediako, Golf City down to Kpone, parts of Tema, and Community 25. For the past four days, no water has been flowing through the lines. Michel Camp, even the military, no water is flowing. It’s very terrible,” Ampah said.
Residents are frustrated by the lack of information or prior notice regarding the water disruption. They have expressed their concern over the absence of communication from GWCL about the underlying issues or any plans for resolving the situation.
“We haven’t heard any information whether there is any challenge with their water lines. No information. No prior notice for us to even find ways of storing water. Nothing. And it’s terrible. You can imagine living in a home without water. It’s just so terrible,” Ampah added.
The recent water shortage in parts of the Greater Accra and the Central Region is being attributed to choked pipes caused by debris from the Akosombo dam spillage and deteriorated pipelines, according to the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL).
Various areas in Accra and the Central region have faced challenges with water supply, prompting residents to seek alternative sources.
The Communications Manager for GWCL, Stanley Martey, explained on JoyNews’ AM Show that the shutdown of the Kpong plant was necessary to clear the debris.
“What happened was that after the spillage from the Akosombo pipeline, a lot of debris and aquatic weeds were washed from upstream to downstream and our intake point is downstream the Akosombo Dam, and the force to which the pumps abstract the water into the treatment plant abstracted a lot of debris so the whole line was chocked and as a result. We were not able to abstract enough water for treatment,” he said.
He emphasized that due to the inability to manually remove the debris, the only viable solution was to shut down the plant. Additionally, the shutdown facilitated maintenance activities at the Weija plant.
He assured that all water treatment plants operated by the company are currently functioning at full capacity, ensuring a guarantee of continuous water supply, particularly as the dry season approaches.
“Thankfully we are operating full capacity in Kpong and Weija… We are hopeful that by this weekend, the system should stabilise, the system should be fine from today or tomorrow so by weekend, we should see that stability after a full rationing programme,” he assured.
Managing Director of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), Ing. Dr. Clifford Braimah, has noted that the water producer is not able to increase the volumes of water supplied due to financial constraints.
He acknowledged that the population of Accra has surpassed the capacity of the water company.
This statement comes in response to concerns raised by residents in various parts of Accra, including Adenta, Kasoa, Weija, and Apaapa in La, regarding irregular water supply affecting their communities.
Residents have reported challenges such as inconsistent water supply, with some experiencing extended periods without water. The situation has led some residents to resort to purchasing water from tankers at high prices.
Complaints also include the lack of communication from the Ghana Water Company Limited about temporary water supply cuts in specific communities.
In addressing the issue, Ing. Braimah acknowledged the need for the GWCL to upgrade its machinery to cope with the increasing demands of Accra’s growing population.
But he noted that due to the lack of funds, increasing the volume of water supplied to areas has been a challenge since 2017.
“Already in Accra, the volume of water we produce, the population has outgrown it, and we are looking at putting up a new system at Kpone to boost our production but resource constraint has been the problem, Since 2017, 2018, we have been working and we have not settled on finances.
“So already if you have a limited volume of water coming into the system, and your population is big, you have to block them and supply them according to the demands of the people but you cannot give everybody [water] at the same times otherwise some will not get. And so we have been limited for a very long time.”
Ing. Dr. Clifford Braimah, the Managing Director of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), has acknowledged that some of the reported complaints about water supply issues were related to localized faults.
He emphasized that when residents report such issues to the nearest GWCL office, the company can address them promptly.
Water suppliers in Johannesburg, South Africa, have issued an urgent appeal to city residents and its suburbs to reduce water usage as a severe water shortage threatens to “cripple the system.”
Rand Water and Johannesburg Water issued a joint statement on Sunday sep 17 2023, expressing concern about the excessive water consumption by residents, which has led to a significant decline in water reservoir levels.
To address this crisis, the companies have requested that residents take several measures, including limiting showers to two minutes, flushing toilets only when necessary, washing cars using buckets on weekends, refraining from filling swimming pools until the water shortage is resolved, avoiding the use of clean water for gardening or lawn irrigation, and promptly reporting any water leaks.
Johannesburg, currently operates under annual water restrictions, typically enforced during South Africa’s dry season, which spans from September to March.
In recent weeks, water shortages have led to disruptions affecting some city residents and essential facilities like hospitals, leading to growing public dissatisfaction.
The Ghana Water Company Ltd’s Water (GWCL) Treatment plant in Bonsa, located in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality, has been impacted by a flood, resulting in water shortages in various parts of the Tarkwa township.
Persistent heavy rainfall has caused flooding in the Bonsa community, leading to the displacement of approximately forty households and the collapse of numerous houses, rendering people homeless.
The entire Bonsa highway has been inundated with floodwater. With the assistance of local youth, drivers cautiously navigate through the flooded road to avoid getting stuck, offering a token of appreciation to the boys for their help.
The flood has affected the water treatment plant responsible for providing water to Tarkwa and surrounding areas, which has resulted in a disruption of water supply to several communities in the Tarkwa township.
Communities affected by the water shortage include Bonsa, Ahwetieso, Akyempim, Bankyim, Jerusalem, Tamso, and others.
In an interview, Wisdom Doe Akoto, the Tarkwa District Manager of the Ghana Water Company, explained the significance of a pump house located near the river. This pump draws water to the treatment plant for purification before distribution to consumers.
Mr. Akoto emphasized the importance of the pump in the water distribution system, noting that its damage would have significant consequences for the company and consumers. To prevent further damage, the pump was removed from its location.
He assured that once the flood subsides, the pump will be reconnected, and water distribution to the affected communities will resume.
The serenity of a typically peaceful suburban road in the vicinity of South Africa’s capital, Pretoria, is being disrupted by the persistent sound of drilling.
However, these drilling activities are not related to prospectors in search of the nation’s mineral riches. Instead, they represent a pursuit of a potentially more valuable resource: water.
In affluent neighborhoods within South Africa’s economic hub, where water supply has become scarce, private boreholes are increasingly appearing. The example of Garsfontein illustrates the trend as workers excavate a borehole to secure access to water.
“I am tired of not knowing when we will have water and when we won’t,” the frustrated homeowner says.
“Having a borehole means we won’t have to depend on the government so much, it’s what’s best for my family.”
Much of the domestic water supply here depends on electricity to pump it from the source to the vast high plain on which the cities of Johannesburg and Pretoria sit.
South Africa’s recent electricity woes – with regular lengthy scheduled blackouts – have had a knock-on effect on the supply of water.
“All of our stations, they need electricity, they need power. You have to pump water everywhere where it is needed,” says Sipho Mosai, the head of state-owned Rand Water, one of the country’s main water providers.
“Electricity is really at the heartbeat of what we do and if we don’t have it externally, at least for now, it becomes a problem.”
“Some days I don’t have both water and electricity, and this can be for days at a time. It makes daily life insufferable,” says Zizi Dlanga, a 35-year-old private wealth manager.
She lives in a two-bedroom apartment in an affluent suburb in the north of Johannesburg with her sister who is a trainee doctor. She now stocks up on water when it is available and goes to a gym to take a shower.
“My water bill stays the same even with all the cuts. I feel frustrated, I don’t have access to water alternatives [like a borehole] that would make this bearable for me,” she adds.
Bottled water is being stored in Hammanskraal after there was a cholera outbreak in the water supply
There are, of course, millions of South Africans who have lived without having water piped into their homes for years. But the intermittent domestic supply is just one aspect of a multi-pronged problem facing the water industry.
“We are in a state of systemic failure, the water sector is collapsing,” expert Prof Anthony Turton tells the BBC.
The lack of electricity has exacerbated issues created by poorly maintained infrastructure, which has led to vast leaks as well as sewage problems, and a supply of water that cannot meet demand.
Seventy million litres of treated, clean, drinkable water are lost every single day because of leaks that are endemic in the crumbling water system.
Most of the water wastage identified has been linked to badly run municipalities that are not investing in maintenance, partly because of corruption and theft.
This has also meant that sewage plants are not cleaning the water in the way that they should.
And this has had public health consequences.
Lawrence Malope has been selling bottled water in Hammanskraal after people became nervous about the piped water
In just a few weeks in Hammanskraal, a township outside Pretoria, 29 people were killed by cholera that had been found in the water supply there. The outbreak has been linked to substandard water purification practices.
Lawrence Malope sells bottled water at the roadside in the township. It is a new business born out of desperate times.
“Most people buy from me because they want safe water to drink, because the water that comes out of the taps is dirty,” he says.
At home, he collects rainwater and then boils it before use.
“Many people are getting sick here because of the water coming out of our taps and some just don’t know how to clean it. We have young children in this community, I’m really worried about our safety,” he says.
But not having clean drinking water is not unique to Hammanskraal – a recent report by the Department of Water Affairs and Sanitation found that of the 155 treatment systems sampled, 41% came back showing bad microbial water quality compliance.
The problem can be found across the country. In the Eastern Cape’s quaint arts town of Makhanda, formerly known as Grahamstown, residents have for years been forced to contend with unsafe drinking water, with recurring bouts of E.coli contamination.
In the Free State province, government investigations found that the majority of wastewater treatment plants are deemed to be “in critical condition”, putting residents at risk of contaminated water.
For Prof Turton, the combination of problems with water and electricity supplies is creating a perfect storm.
“People living all across the country are becoming increasingly concerned and increasingly angry. Part of it is because people are sitting in darkness sometimes.
“With the interrupted water supply…we now have a situation where people are literally dying from disease.”
On the part of the water suppliers, Mr Mosai from Rand Water agrees that more needs to be done. He says that his company is investing in solar power rather than relying on the national grid.
There has been a borehole boom in some of South Africa’s wealthy suburbs
When it comes to solutions, drilling private boreholes is only an option for the very wealthy, as they come with a price tag of $7,000 (ÂŁ5,000).
It also serves to highlight the huge inequalities in South Africa.
“What it’s doing is widening the gap between those that have and those that don’t have. It creates social injustice,” argues Dr Ferrial Adam from advocacy group WaterCAN.
There are also questions about the environmental impact of boreholes and whether the groundwater is safe to drink. In some parts of the country, harmful metals and dangerous bacteria can be found in the water.
But experts say there are some things that can be done to benefit everyone and help arrest the deterioration of the water supply.
“There are some very quick fixes,” according to Dr Adam.
“One is fix the leaks, spend actual money on infrastructure and maintenance, and test water regularly, so you monitor what people are being made to drink.”
She adds that the national government needs to be better at keeping municipalities in line.
The government acknowledges the problem and says it has taken some municipalities to court over allegations of negligence.
But Dr Adam feels that is not enough.
“A lot of these are failing. That failure places lives at risk.”
 Ethiopian security forces have killed three individuals after opening fire on demonstrators in the southern town of Wolkite about a water crisis.
Some residents claim that five further persons were hurt during the protests on Wednesday.
Residents protested in front of the city’s water management office because they were upset about the town’s rising water deficit.
“We have waited long to hold demonstrations. We came out today hoping we would get [solutions]. But things have turned into guns and blood,” one resident told the BBC.
Gauteng, the center of South Africa’s economy, is suffering from water shortages brought on by declining reservoir levels as a result of increasing water use.
As taps are running dry, Dr Ferrial Adam, Water and Environment Manager for the Community Action Network (WaterCAN) believes the cause for the crisis are factors like ageing infrastructure and inequality.
“We cannot deny that there is an additional element that is affecting people’s access to water and that is, on a local government level and municipal level. You have infrastructure deterioration and that is also leading to people not having sufficient water. There’s also the element of the unequal distribution of water in South Africa. Less than 40% to 45% have taps in their homes.” said Adam
Innovative solutions
To solve the issue of water shortage, Boitumelo Nkatlo, BN-Aqua Solutions Founding Director, developed a plant that purifies acidicwaterdisposed by mines. And this purified water can be used for drinking and irrigation.
“We all know that water is life and is a scarce resource. Our take is that we do have water underground. Millions and millions that we are in a position to take and treat and treat it at an affordable price because we are using waste material to treat this to a drinking stage.” explains Nkatlo
Sizwe Mavuso, Colsto Founder, came up with a water tank reuse model that could see water being preserved by communities especially in instances where taps run dry easily.
“The innovation was conceptualised around a construction site I used to work at where people do not have water whatsoever and it boiled down to affordability. The great thing about this solution is that we want to harvest water that we already have and that is grey water.” said Mavuso
According to Greenpeace, water is a very unevenly distributed resource meaning that millions of South Africans already drink water that was captured in reservoirs in excess of 400km away. This water insecurity risk is worsened by increasing climate change.
The Management of Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has served notice of an interruption of water supply to the western part of the Greater Accra Region effective today Monday, 13th to Friday, 17th of September, 2021.
“Engineers will be replacing some faulty valves on the main 900mm transmission pipelines, which impedes water flow and causes serious challenges in the distribution lines,” a statement by the GWCL said.
The areas envisaged to be hard hit include; Weija, Gbawe, Kasoa, Mallam, Sakaman, Odorkor, Dansoman, Mamprobi, Agege, Korle-Gorno, Korle-Bu, Laterbiokorshie, Mataheko, North Industrial Area, Kaneshie, Awudome Estates, North Kaneshie, Abeka La Paz, Quarshieman, Anyaa, Santa Maria, Ablekuma, Alhaji, Tabora, Tesano, Dome, Taifa, Achimota and surrounding communities.
Meanwhile, the statement indicated that governments covid-19 free water reservoirs will still be available during the period for consumers.
From Thursday, the 22nd of April, parts of the Greater Accra Region will experience an interruption in water supply.
This is according to the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) which says that it will be carrying out replacement of a damaged transmission pipeline between Kpong and Tema.
“The Management of Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), wishes to inform the general public, that there will be an interruption of water supply to the eastern part of the Greater Accra Region from Thursday the 22nd to Monday the 26th of April 2021.”
“GWCL engineers will be replacing two hundred meters (200m) of a weak session of the main 42-inch transmission pipeline from Kpong to Tema, around Gbetsele junction, which is causing GWCL to lose several volumes of water daily and consequently having a serious impact on the volumes available for consumption,” a statement from the GWCL said.
It advised consumers to store up water for consumption during the period. Areas to be affected include Afienya, Apollonia, Gbetsele, Ashaiman, Katamanso, Kakasunanka, Adjei Kojo, East Legon Trasaco, according to the statement.
In addition, Communities 1 to 25 of Tema, the Free Zones enclave, Tema Industrial Area, Dawhenya, Prampram, Spintex Road, Batsonaa, Coca Cola, Kasapreko, Manet, Lashibi, Klagon, Sakumono, and surrounding communities will be affected.
According to the statement, affected areas will be supplied with water through commercial tankers during the period.
An acute water shortage has hit the Northeastern part of Accra, with residents bracing through thick shoving crowds to access water.
The residents will experience an interruption in water supply due to some repair works, the management of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has said.
According to GWCL, the works will take place at the “Kpong Treatment Plant that serves water to the Northeastern part of Accra,” thus, interrupting water supply from “from 6:00 am on Wednesday to 6:00 am on Thursday, 6 August 2020.”
GWCL, therefore, called on “members of the general public, as well as institutions or organisations within the affected areas, to bear with the situation and store enough water ahead of the shutdown.
“Communities that are likely to be affected include Dodowa, Frafraha, Adenta, Ogbojo, Madina, Ashaley Botwe, Adjirinano, East Legon, Agbogba, Haatso, Atomic, Ashongman, Dome, and other surrounding communities.”
GWCL also assured the general public that its “engineers will work within the time and supply will resume immediately the works are completed.”
It further stated that the GWCL “regrets the inconvenience that the interruption may cause to the consuming public.”
Managing Director of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), Clifford Braimah has said water shortage in the Tema enclave and other areas has been resolved.
He said the Ghana Water Company provided some areas with water, adding that other areas will soon be catered for as well.
“The Tema problem has been rectified. As at yesterday, some areas have started getting water and eventually other areas will be covered,” he said on the Citi Breakfast Show on Monday.
Distribution Manager for the Accra West branch of the Ghana Water Company Limited,Ă‚Â Edward Kwabena Agyekum on the same show explained that water shortage in some areas had to do with power outages.
“The little challenge we had was somewhere about a week ago when Weija was down almost the whole day as a result of a power outage.”
There have been reports of water shortage in some parts of the country, making it difficult for residents in these areas to observe the World Health Organisation (WHO) safety protocols of regular handwashing in the wake of COVID-19.
A few weeks ago, residents in the Ningo Prampram Municipality said they had not experienced consistent water supply for months, compelling them to rely on untreated water from dugout ponds for their domestic use.
Residents said water supply to the community has not been regular since December 2019 and is a major worry now as Ghana deals with the outbreak of COVID-19.
Some residents who spoke to Citi News said appeals to the District office of the GWCL over the erratic supply of water to their homes had not yielded any result.
Residents of Ningo-Prampram have for about a month now been experiencing a major shortage of water supply to the area due to reasons unknown to them.
According to them, the unusual nature of the shortage, plus the length of shortage has sent the area into a crisis and are therefore calling on authorities to quickly address the situation.
A resident who spoke to ghanaweb.com on condition of anonymity said there are rumours that authorities are diverting the water to a private water bottling company in the area. This, the resident said, is the main reason for the acute shortage.
However, in a widely shared video post on Facebook by a resident of the area, some desperate residents of Ningo-Prampram witnessed a glimmer of hope with a water tank arriving to provide them with water on March 29.
It was said that that it took the intervention of the NPP parliamentary candidate for the area, Alex Martey to supply the residents with water supply on that day.
But it is interesting to note that the desperate residents seemed to have forgotten about the social distancing advice given out by health professionals in the wake of the novel Coronavirus outbreak in Ghana.
The 8-minute-long video captures some residents of the area with almost all their water storage items out in the open to fetch water from the tank.
Earlier, the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) announced that there will be an interruption in water supplies in some areas of the country from Tuesday, March 4, 2020.
The GWCL says the development will allow for technicians to undergo maintenance work at the Kpong Water Treatment Plant.
Some consumers in the Koforidua Municipality are currently facing a water shortage.
“The shortage is as a result of a pull out on the transmission pipeline which was detected yesterday (Monday, 23/03/2020),” the Management of the Ghana Water Company Limited in the Eastern Region said in a statement sighted by Citi News.
“This has affected water supply to the following areas: parts of Effiduase, Old Estate, Anlotown and KTU. Also affected are Nsukwao, Yawkyeremakrom, Asokore-Kuma, GHANASS area, Apenkwa and Monrovia,” the statement added.
The company further assured that “frantic efforts are underway to repair the line as soon as possible” and urged “consumers to make judicious use of the little they have stored.”
The Management of the Ghana Water Company Limited in the Eastern Region earlier advised residents in Koforidua and surrounding areas to start storing water while they can.
But this notice was in anticipation of some power challenges.
According to the Company, the Bukunor Water Treatment plant which supplies about 80 percent of potable water to the Municipality and beyond has been experiencing some electricity supply challenges.
The Communications Director for GWCL, Stanley Martey, has told Citi News that efforts were underway by engineers from the GWCL and Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to fix the problems.
According to him, for every hour of power loss, the company loses about six hours of production.
