Report By: Ishmael Barfi
Accra, Ghana — Ghana Water Limited has commenced major rehabilitation works on key transmission pipelines as part of efforts to reduce rising water losses and improve supply reliability in parts of Accra and Tema.
The intervention forms part of broader measures by the company to reduce non-revenue water, improve operational efficiency, and stabilise water supply to densely populated urban communities.
Managing Director of GWL, Adam Mutawakilu, disclosed this during an inspection tour of sections of the Kpong transmission line and the company’s Central Workshop, where replacement pipes are currently being fabricated for installation.
According to him, investigations conducted by the new management after assuming office identified water theft and leakages along major transmission pipelines as the two principal causes of the country’s high non-revenue water levels.
Mr. Mutawakilu said GWL’s 2024 financial statement recorded non-revenue water at 52.2 per cent, indicating that more than half of the water produced could not be accounted for due to leakages, illegal connections, and unmetered consumption.“That triggered us as a new management to investigate exactly what is causing the water losses,” he stated.
He explained that the challenge was particularly severe in the Tema and Accra West operational areas, where assessments revealed extensive leakages on the aging 21-inch steel transmission pipeline conveying treated water from the Kpong Water Treatment Plant to Tema.
According to him, the deteriorating condition of the pipelines has significantly reduced the volume of water reaching consumers.“From the assessment we conducted, nearly 40 per cent of the water produced from Kpong is lost through leakages before it reaches Tema,” he said.
The pipelines, some of which are more than 70 years old, have developed multiple weak points and perforations after years of operational stress and delayed maintenance.
To address the challenge, GWL has commenced fabrication and replacement of damaged sections of 21-inch and 42-inch transmission pipelines at its Central Workshop.
The facility is equipped to undertake pipe rolling, fabrication of specialised pipe fittings, pump refurbishment, and emergency maintenance works aimed at restoring the integrity of the transmission system.
Currently, the workshop is fabricating 180 metres of 21-inch pipes and 162 metres of 42-inch pipes for replacement along the affected transmission corridor. The pipes are being produced in six-metre and 12-metre sections to facilitate transportation and installation on site.
Mr. Mutawakilu explained that due to financial constraints, GWL is unable to replace the entire aging transmission network immediately and is therefore prioritising the most vulnerable sections while carrying out continuous repairs on leaking portions.
The company has already invested approximately GH¢5 million into the rehabilitation and fabrication works, with additional funding expected to support ongoing repairs and stabilise supply.
According to the Managing Director, the pipeline rehabilitation programme is being undertaken alongside the replacement of all five pumps at the Kpong Water Treatment Plant to improve water production capacity and transmission pressure.
He stressed that reinforcing the integrity of the pipelines is necessary to prevent future bursts and leakages once the upgraded pumps become operational.
Mr. Mutawakilu noted that although some operational regions had recorded improvements in reducing non-revenue water, the situation in Tema and Accra West continued to significantly affect the national average because of high population density and increasing demand for water.
In addition to the infrastructure rehabilitation works, GWL has intensified its nationwide anti-water theft operation. The exercise, being conducted with support from National Security, has so far uncovered nearly 400 illegal connections in Accra alone.
The company estimates liabilities arising from illegal connections, meter bypasses, and unmetered water usage at approximately GH¢16 million, with about GH¢3.7 million already recovered from offending customers.
Mr. Mutawakilu warned that customers who fail to regularise their connections and settle outstanding obligations risk prosecution and disconnection from the national water supply network.
“We are not going to wait for things to deteriorate before action is taken,” he said.
The interventions form part of GWL’s broader strategy to reduce non-revenue water, improve service delivery, and ensure reliable potable water supply to urban communities across Ghana.
Source: www.thenewindependentonline.com
