Ghana Water lacks capacity to supply water 24 hours a day
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on 3News
Michael Tawiah Klutse, head of planning at Ghana Water Limited, said the company cannot serve all households continuously and shares available water through rationing. He cites limited capacity and the elevation of some areas, while 4,395 arrests for water theft have been made in Accra since August 2025, according to 3News.
Ghana Water Limited (GWL), the state water supply company, does not have the capacity to serve all households 24 hours a day, Michael Tawiah Klutse, its Principal Manager for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, said on Tuesday 10 November on Citi FM. "What we have, we manage so that everyone gets something," he said.
According to him, a neighbourhood’s elevation affects distribution: high-lying areas require interventions to increase pressure, while low-lying areas are more easily served by existing pipes.
To manage the shortfall, GWL applies demand management schedules and zone-based rationing, including a three-zone schedule announced in October for Kpone-Katamanso, Tema East, Tema West and Ashaiman, in eastern Greater Accra. Spokesperson Stanley Martey explains that these distribution days allow residents to store water before supply cuts, while engineers rework local pipes to boost pressure.
In Sebrepor, Gbetsile and Community 25, residents long deprived of water rely on water tankers and tanks. Meanwhile, a crackdown in Accra has led to 4,395 arrests for water theft since August 2025, with 12 teams tasked with tracking down illegal connections and meter bypasses.
