Indebtedness causing uninterrupted water delivery services - Analyst

Indebtedness by community-managed water systems to electricity companies has virtually made it impossible to provide uninterrupted water delivery services to rural communities and small towns in the country.

Prior to the Community Water and sanitation Agency’s (CWSA’s) intervention 90 water systems nationwide owed an accumulated electricity bill of GhC3,322,900.71 to the Volta River Authority (VRA) and the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).

Mr Mohammed Ibrahim Adokor, the Chief Planning and Investments Analyst of National Community Water and Sanitation Programme (NCWSP) stated on Tuesday in Sunyani.

He was speaking at the Brong-Ahafo Regional Stakeholders’ Conference on Rural Water and Sanitation Sub-Sector Reforms on the theme “Reforming Ghana’s Rural Sub-Sector towards Efficient Management of WASH Services to Rural Communities and Small Towns”.

It deliberated on the new Sub-sector Reforms arrangement towards sustainability of investments and strategies to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals Six (SDG 6).

People of diverse backgrounds which included Municipal and District Chief Executives, other senior officers of the Municipal and District Assemblies (MDAs), representatives of civil society and non-governmental organisations, traditional rulers and the media attended.

Mr Adokor mentioned inadequate accountability of revenue generated by the Water System Management Teams (WSMTs) and private operators, continuous cycle of breakdowns and rehabilitation with resources earmarked to provide water systems to new beneficiaries among others as some of the challenges that threatened the sustainability of the water systems in the rural communities in the country.

He said non-revenue water on rural piped-water systems have increased steadily between 45 to 60 per cent and that had resulted in the high unit cost of production and water tariff.

Mr Adokor added that CWSA was currently managing 90 piped-water systems across the country, citing that 70 boreholes in 18 piped systems had been cleaned, redeveloped, pump tested and water quality reassessed.

He stated procurement for cleaning, redevelopment, pumping test and water quality re-assessment of 132 boreholes in 51 piped water systems were also on-going.

Mr Adokor said nine pump houses for five piped water systems were being reconstructed while 26 pump houses for seven piped systems were also being rehabilitated, adding that 5,570 manual service meters had been installed to improve measurement of water consumption and revenue.

He said the CWSA policy reforms were ensuring even stronger collaborations with the MDAs for the delivery of quality, reliable and affordable water services to rural communities and small towns.

Mr Adokor stressed that the policy reforms were also to maintain professionalism in the operations and management of piped water systems and also mobilise revenue from water systems management for maintenance, expansion and construction of new facilities as well as improving access to sanitation and hygiene services to maximize health benefits.