Ghana Water Ltd inaugurates revenue enhancement teams to tackle losses, boost sustainability

Ghana Water Limited (GWL) has inaugurated 10 Revenue Enhancement Teams nationwide as part of a bold strategy to improve revenue collection, curb illegal connections, and reduce non-revenue water, Managing Director announced on Wednesday.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, the Managing Director said the initiative marks a “decisive turning point” in the company’s transformation, aimed at strengthening finances and improving reliable water delivery to Ghanaians.

He noted that while water is a social good, its production and distribution are capital-intensive, requiring steady revenue to fund chemicals, electricity, infrastructure maintenance, and expansion.

“Without sound revenue, there can be no sustainable service,” he said.

The Managing Director outlined key operational and financial challenges confronting GWL, including rising costs of treatment chemicals, electricity, fuel, and spare parts, as well as aging infrastructure prone to frequent leaks and bursts.

Production constraints driven by climate variability, pollution, and rapid urbanisation have further strained supply.

National water demand currently stands at about 350 million gallons per day, while existing treatment plants can produce only 220 million gallons, leaving a daily deficit of 130 million gallons.

In the Accra–Tema Metropolitan Area, demand exceeds supply by 73 million gallons per day.

Customer indebtedness also remains a major concern, with outstanding arrears running into billions of cedis nationwide.

According to management, unpaid bills directly limit the company’s ability to maintain infrastructure and expand services.

Non-Revenue Water at 52%

GWL’s non-revenue water level stood at 52 per cent as of December 2024.

This means that out of 220 million gallons supplied daily nationwide, 114 million gallons are unaccounted for.

In Accra–Tema, 71 million gallons out of 137 million gallons supplied daily are lost.

The losses comprise about 22 per cent technical losses from leakages and bursts, and 78 per cent commercial losses due largely to illegal connections, meter bypassing, billing anomalies, and water theft.

Early Results from Pilot Teams

To address these challenges, GWL set up three pilot Revenue Enhancement Teams in August 2025.

Between August 2024 and December 2025, the teams uncovered 239 illegal connections, raised charges amounting to GH¢8.6 million, and recovered GH¢2.1 million.

Encouraged by these results, management has expanded the initiative by adding seven more teams, bringing the total to 10.

The Managing Director stressed that the teams are not meant to be punitive.

Their mandate includes improving revenue collection, detecting illegal connections, verifying meters, correcting billing anomalies, reducing non-revenue water, and educating customers to encourage voluntary compliance.

“They are corrective, protective, and supportive teams. We seek compliance, not confrontation; fairness, not hardship; and sustainability for the benefit of all,” he said.

He also highlighted GWL’s ongoing digital transformation, which allows customers to receive bills via SMS and email and make payments through mobile money, bank apps, and USSD platforms.

Calling on customers to pay their bills promptly, the Managing Director said every cedi collected goes into chemicals, electricity, maintenance, pipe replacement, network expansion, technology upgrades, and overall service improvement.

The inauguration signals GWL’s renewed commitment to protecting revenue and ensuring reliable and equitable water supply across the country.

Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith