Ghana Water Limited (GWL) has invested approximately GH¢6 million in replacing weak and perforated sections of its transmission lines between Kpong and Tema. This move aims to improve water supply to communities in the Greater Accra Region. The repairs come as several areas, particularly around Tema and Ashaiman, face a water crisis. GWL's Communications Manager, Stanley Martey, revealed that 40-50% of water pumped from Kpong was lost before reaching the Tema booster station.
The water loss issue was identified a month ago, prompting GWL to announce the problems along its transmission mains from Kpong to Tema. Martey assured the public that the company is working to resolve the situation, with teams constantly on the ground troubleshooting to identify and solve the challenges. The repairs are part of GWL's efforts to address the water crisis and improve supply to affected communities.
GWL's Managing Director, Adam Mutawakilu, disclosed that the company is facing GH¢2 billion in arrears owed by consumers, largely due to illegal connections, meter bypassing, billing errors, and water theft. He revealed that of the 220 million gallons of water produced nationwide daily, only 106 million gallons are accounted for. The Managing Director further explained that nearly a third of the unaccounted-for water is lost due to technical issues, including aged pipes and transmission and distribution network problems.
Between August and December 2025, Ghana lost over GH¢5 million to illegal water connections. GWL uncovered an alarming rate of water theft, particularly in urban cities like Accra, which consumes the most water produced by the nation's water supply company. The company has since recovered over GH¢1.3 million from identified illegal connections and is pursuing prosecution of offenders.
In an effort to clamp down on water theft, GWL has engaged the National Security to triple its task force team from 3-12 to expedite detection and enforcement. The move has led to a drop in non-revenue water from 52% in January to 49.4% by November. The company is also pursuing a large-scale legal campaign to recover over GH¢32 million owed by long-term defaulters.
In the Eastern Region, GWL arranged for 15 defaulting customers to appear in court in December 2025, as part of its efforts to recover debts. The company warned that it will go the extra mile within the law to recover every arrear owed, essential for sustaining operations and improving service delivery. More names will be added to the list as the campaign intensifies, targeting customers who have ignored repeated reminders or accumulated long-term arrears.
This is not the first time GWL has threatened or taken legal action against defaulters. The company has a history of warning customers and announcing plans to prosecute defaulters, dating back to 2023 and 2024. The current campaign aims to address the outstanding arrears undermining GWL's operations and improve water service delivery to the public.
Key points
- Ghana Water Limited invests GH¢6m to repair Kpong-Tema pipeline to address water loss and supply issues
- GWL faces GH¢2 billion in arrears owed by consumers, largely due to illegal connections and water theft
- The company has recovered over GH¢1.3 million from identified illegal connections and is pursuing prosecution of offenders
