Water supply and sanitation in Ghana

Water supply and sanitation in Ghana
Data
Water coverage (broad definition)78% (2015)[1]
Sanitation coverage (broad definition)14% (2015)[1] (Share of collected wastewater treated: about 10% in Accra[2])
Continuity of supply25% in Accra[3]
Average urban water use (L/person/day)n/a
Average urban water and sanitation tariff (US$/m3)GHS3.01/m3 (US$0.76/m3)[4]
Share of household meteringn/a
Annual investment in WSSUS$0.7 per capita[5]
Share of external financingAbout 90% development assistance[6]
Institutions
Decentralization to municipalitiesIn rural areas: Decentralization to districts, since 1994
National water and sanitation companyYes: Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL)
Water and sanitation regulatorIn urban areas: Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC)
Responsibility for policy settingMinistry of Sanitation and Water Resources[7]
Sector lawvarious
No. of urban service providers1: GWCL
No. of rural service providersmore than 400 community-managed piped systems[8]

The water supply and sanitation sector in Ghana is a sector that is in charge of the supply of healthy water and also improves the sanitation of water bodies in the country.

In Ghana, the drinking water supply and sanitation sectors face a number of issues, including relatively limited sanitation access, intermittent supply, significant water losses, poor water pressure, and pollution. Since 1994, the sector has been gradually reformed through the creation of an autonomous regulatory agency, introduction of private sector participation, decentralization of the rural supply to 138 districts and increased community participation in the management of rural water systems.[9][10]

An international company has managed all urban water systems since 2006 under a 5-year management contract which expired after achieving only some of its objectives. The reforms also aim at increasing cost recovery and a modernization of the urban utility Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL).[9] Another problem which partly arose from the recent reforms is the existence of a multitude of institutions with overlapping responsibilities. The National Water Policy (NWP), which was launched at the beginning of 2008, introduced a comprehensive sector policy.[11]

  1. ^ a b World Health Organization; UNICEF. "Joint Monitoring Program for Water Supply and Sanitation (JMP)". Archived from the original on 16 February 2008. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
  2. ^ Adu-Ahyiah, Maxwell; Anku, Romi Ernest. Small Scale Wastewater Treatment in Ghana (a Scenario) (PDF). Lund. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 September 2007. Retrieved 28 March 2008., p. 1-2
  3. ^ WaterAid. "National Water Sector Assessment, Ghana" (PDF). Retrieved 26 March 2008.[permanent dead link], p. 2
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference GWI tariffs was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ WaterAid. "National Water Sector Assessment, Ghana" (PDF). Retrieved 26 March 2008.[permanent dead link], p. 3. According to the source annual investments for an unspecified year (or average of years) are US$17m. Ghana has 26m inhabitants.
  6. ^ African Development Fund (October 2005). "Accra Sewerage Improvement Project (ASIP). Appraisal Report" (PDF). Retrieved 28 March 2008. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)[dead link], p. 6
  7. ^ "Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources (MSWR) (Ghana) | Devex".
  8. ^ Nyarko, K. B.; Oduro-Kwarteng, S.; Adama, I. (2006). "Cost recovery of community-managed piped water systems in the Ashanti region, Ghana". Water and Environment Journal. 21 (2). Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM): 92–99. doi:10.1111/j.1747-6593.2006.00051.x. ISSN 1747-6585. S2CID 154378574., p. 93
  9. ^ a b WaterAid. "National Water Sector Assessment, Ghana" (PDF). Retrieved 26 March 2008.[permanent dead link]
  10. ^ "Scaling up Water and Sanitation in Ghana". World Bank. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  11. ^ Ghanaian Water Resources Commission. "National Water Policy". Archived from the original on 2 June 2008. Retrieved 26 March 2008.