By Joseph Nana Yaw Cobbina
The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has constituted ten Revenue Enhancement Teams to clamp down on illegal water connections and other forms of non-revenue water losses across the country, as part of efforts to improve revenue mobilisation and ensure the company’s long-term sustainability.
Speaking at the sidelines of an event, the Managing Director of GWCL, Hon. Adam Mutawakilu, described the widespread theft of water as “a daylight robbery in the eyes of God,” stressing that illegal consumption continues to cripple the company’s operations.
He noted that GWCL is grappling with numerous financial and operational challenges, including high production costs, aging infrastructure, limited treatment capacity, and mounting customer indebtedness largely driven by illegal connections and water theft.
According to him, non-revenue water currently stands at 52 percent nationwide, with commercial losses accounting for about 78 percent of those losses.
In the Accra–Tema Metropolitan Area alone, approximately 71 million gallons of water are lost daily through non-revenue water, while the national daily loss stands at about 114 million gallons due to illegal consumption and system inefficiencies.
Hon. Mutawakilu explained that the Revenue Enhancement Teams will focus on identifying and eliminating illegal connections, verifying and regularising meters, correcting billing anomalies, and educating customers on voluntary compliance within GWCL’s operational areas. The teams will work closely with the company’s technical and legal units to effectively carry out their mandate.
He revealed that since August 2025, three pilot teams deployed by the company have uncovered 217 illegal connections, detected 239 metering irregularities, and issued bills amounting to GH¢8.6 million, of which GH¢2.1 million has already been recovered.
The Managing Director appealed to customers to pay their water bills promptly and to engage the company whenever they encounter payment challenges. “Every cedi collected goes into chemicals, electricity, plant maintenance, pipe replacement, network expansion, technology upgrades, and overall service improvement for our customers,” he stated.
He emphasised that the sustainability of Ghana Water Limited is a shared responsibility, urging customers to play their part in safeguarding the company’s operations to support national development goals.
Hon. Mutawakilu also highlighted the company’s ongoing digital transformation initiatives, including mobile money payment options, SMS and email billing, a customer mobile application for real-time account access, call centres, social media support, and flexible payment plans for customers facing genuine financial hardship.
Touching on production constraints, he disclosed that national daily water demand is estimated at about 350 million gallons, while GWCL’s treatment plants can only produce 220 million gallons, leaving a deficit of 130 million gallons daily.
In the Accra–Tema Metropolitan Area, daily demand stands at 210 million gallons against a supply capacity of 137 million gallons, resulting in a shortfall of 73 million gallons.
The official launch of the Revenue Enhancement Teams, he said, marks a new chapter in GWCL’s pursuit of accountability, efficiency, innovation, and service excellence. “Ghana Water Limited belongs to all of us. Its sustainability is our shared responsibility,” he stressed.
The teams are expected to play a critical role in reducing losses and ensuring the delivery of safe, reliable, and affordable potable water to communities across the country.
