Growing dissatisfaction and public outcry over inconsistent water supply, especially in urban centers have prompted a response from the Managing Director of Ghana Water Limited, Adam Mutawakilu.

Explaining some of the reasons for inconsistent water flow nationwide, Mr Adam Mutawakilu noted that most of the water supply company’s transmission pipelines are old, hence operating below their required capacity; as a result, several gallons of water are lost during transmission.

Consequently, he has recommended a replacement of these dilapidated transmission pipes, which he says will cost over 3.5 billion Ghana cedis( US$356 million), a sum far beyond the company’s current financial capacity.

“Most of this transmission capacity utilisation is low. Most of the transmission lines are weak and need to be replaced, and that is a huge cost. We are talking about 356 million dollars to replace the old pipes and put in new pipes, that’s about 3, more than 3.5 billion Ghana cedis,” Mr Mutawakilu said during an interview on Joy Super Morning Show.

He continued that, given the cost required to replace its ageing transmission pipes, the company’s current annual revenue cannot cover the proposed overhaul, a clear indication that the outfit is not in a strong financial position.

“For example, we make almost 1.8 billion cedis, that’s about 100 to 150 million dollars for the whole year. This is the whole amount, not taking salaries or maintenance into account. So, if you take it, you realise that we are not in good shape.”

Mr Mutawakilu said the combination of ageing plants, deteriorating pipelines, and limited revenue has left the utility struggling to meet the rising water demand of Ghana’s growing population.

“The problem is not just the number of plants; it’s the transmission lines connecting them,” he noted. “Without replacing these old pipelines, a lot of water is lost, and supply remains inconsistent, especially in urban areas.”

Consequently, the Managing Director urged policymakers to prioritise capital projects that strengthen both water production and distribution, warning that delays could worsen service interruptions and public dissatisfaction.

Meanwhile, one of the major contributory factors of the nation's water supply company remains illegal connections.

In the last four months of last year, between August and December, Ghana lost over GH¢5 million to illegal water connections, according to the Managing Director of Ghana Water Limited (GWL).

He made these revelations during an interview with Citi TV’s Bernard Avle on Tuesday, January 13. According to him, his outfit, in collaboration with National Security, embarked on what he described as the National Revenue Enhancement Taskforce operation, to clamp down on unauthorised water use.

Following the operation, GWL uncovered an alarming water theft, particularly in urban cities like Accra, which consumes the most of the water produced by the nation’s water supply company. It was discovered that illegal connections valued at approximately GH¢5.5 million were made within just four months.

“Within the three to four months, the estimated bill amounted to about GH¢5.5 million, he said.

The task force caught some sachet water factories that were stealing water by connecting illegally to the water system, and some businesses that were being charged as domestic entities instead of commercial users.

Also, some consumers have installed bypasses, i.e., setups or pipes that avoid the water meter, resulting in significant revenue losses for the utility company.

According to the Managing Director, GWL has so far recovered a little over GH¢1.3 million from the illegal connections identified between August and December. He added that the company’s legal department has begun processes to prosecute offenders, warning that culprits will be taken to court to deter future violations.

“…and we have recovered a little over GH¢1.3 million. The legal department is pursuing the cases in court,” he added.

In an intensified effort, the MD noted that GWL has engaged the National Security to triple the task force team, from 3-12 to expedite the detection and clamping down on the theft

“With the work of the three taskforce teams, non-revenue water dropped from 52 per cent in January to 49.4 % by November. That is encouraging, so we have engaged National Security to expand the teams to 12.

In a related development, late last year, GWL in the Eastern Region arranged for 15 defaulting customers to appear in court in a few days. This formed part of the company’s large-scale legal campaign to recover more than GHC32 million owed by long-term defaulters. The debt, the nation’s water supply insists, undermines the effectiveness of their operations and improves water service delivery.

Ing. Paul C. Akpanya, Regional Chief Manager of Ghana Water Ltd. (Eastern Region), made this statement on Tuesday, December 9, in Koforidua, Eastern Region, during the launch of GWCL’s large-scale legal campaign to recover over GHC32 million owed by long-term defaulters.

According to him, the 15 defaulters fell under Phase One of the campaign, with more rigorous and lawful measures expected to be adopted in the coming days to retrieve the debts.

“We will go the extra mile within the remit of the law to recover every arrear owed the company. This is essential for sustaining our operations and improving service delivery to the public,” he said.

GWL’s legal team said more names will be added as the campaign intensifies, targeting customers who have ignored repeated reminders, accumulated long-term arrears, or continued to refuse payment even after disconnection.

The action also covers individuals and businesses that have opted to rely on alternative water sources, such as boreholes and wells, without settling their outstanding bills.

The first batch of cases filed includes a mix of commercial and residential customers:

Jilcom (Suhum Roundabout Shell Station), Petroleum & Construction Ltd., Constance Baafi, Ebenezer Larbi Opare, Yomboi EA Adu, Dora James Okyere, KAMA Group of Companies (Regional Director of Health), Paulina Donkor, Richard Boadu, Felicia Okyere Darko, F. A. Mpare, Taylor Posiah & Oduro, Patrick Ernest Obeng, Kwame.

This is not the first time Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has threatened or taken legal action against defaulters. The company has a history of warning customers and even announcing plans to prosecute defaulters as far back as 2023 and 2024, before the current campaign this December 2025.

In April 2023, GWCL issued a public warning that it will prosecute defaulting consumers who fail to settle their debts. The company stated that outstanding arrears were undermining its operations and that legal action was inevitable if payments were not made.

Fast forward exactly a year later, 2024, the water supplier issued another warning announcing that it would publish the names of defaulting customers by the end of May 2024 if they failed to pay. Officials stressed that if this measure failed, they would not hesitate to initiate legal proceedings against debtors.