The Managing Director of Ghana Water Limited (GWL), Adam Mutawakilu, has sounded the alarm over severe water losses and an increasing supply gap, especially in the Greater Accra Region.
Mr. Mutawakilu revealed that as of December 2024, more than 52% of treated water—equivalent to over 150 million gallons daily is unaccounted for due to widespread leakages and illegal connections.
“Over half of the water we produce simply vanishes either through broken infrastructure or illegal tapping. That’s more than 150 million gallons lost each day,” he stated.
He blamed the alarming loss on aging pipelines, rampant illegal connections, and poor monitoring systems chronic problems that continue to undermine Ghana’s water distribution network.
Mr. Mutawakilu also raised concerns about the widening supply gap in the capital.
Accra’s current daily water demand stands at about 220 million gallons, but Ghana Water can only supply 140 million gallons, creating a significant shortfall.
“This means many households go without reliable access to water. We are producing far below what is needed,” he said.
In addition to infrastructure challenges, the GWL boss warned that illegal mining activities (galamsey) are further threatening the country’s water security by polluting key rivers such as the Pra, Offin, Ankobra, and Birim, critical sources for water treatment plants nationwide.
Mr. Mutawakilu called for urgent investment in infrastructure upgrades, advanced monitoring systems, and stricter enforcement of environmental laws.
He emphasised the need for a coordinated national strategy to reduce water losses, expand capacity, and protect vital water resources amid growing threats from climate change and population growth.
“We must act now to secure our water future. Without decisive intervention, the situation will only worsen,” he warned in an interview on TV3.
