Distribution network challenges: Cause of water shortages

The Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Dr Kwaku Agyemang-Mensah, has indicated that, the current water shortage that has hit some parts of the country is partly “as a result of distribution network challenges.”

He explained that it was for this reason the government secured a grant from the World Bank to address those challenges "comprehensively."

The minister was briefing Parliament on the water crisis with particular reference to the state of affairs at Nsawam-Adoagyiri in the Eastern Region.

He told the House that the total water demand in Ghana per day was about 143 million gallons, while installed capacity was 153 million gallons.

In this regard, the country is producing more water than is required for use by the about 27 million people in the country.

Rural water supply

Mr Agyemang-Mensah further stated that rural water coverage, being undertaken largely by the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA),stood at 64 per cent.

And most of the water supply systems at the communities depend on underground water.

Projects

He mentioned Sustainable Rural Water and Sanitation Project, which when complete, would supply water to 600,000 people in the Upper West, Upper East, Northern, Brong Ahafo, Central and Eastern regions.

He said the project is 85 per cent complete and would end in June 2016.

Also, the Northern Region Water and Sanitation Project is providing water facilities for 20 communities in the region. The project which is 70 percent complete would end in December this year.

Urban water

According to the minister, urban water coverage is estimated at 76 per cent. Installed capacity for urban areas is 65 million gallons of water per annum out of which the Greater Accra Region accountsfor 65 percent.

Challenges

He said the uneven distribution of water had resulted in supply shortages in some parts of the country, notably the northern regions, especially in the dry season.

Mr Agyemang-Mensah said water was at risk of depletion if measures were not taken to arrest the situation caused by human and natural factors.

He mentioned land degradation due to farming along river banks, climate change, seasonal vulnerability, population growth and urbanisation, pollution of water bodies and illegal mining as some of the causes of the depletion of water.

Measures

The minister said measures taken by  the government to protect water bodies included the enforcment of compliance with regulations, implementation of the buffer zone policy, creation of public awareness and sensitisation.

Nsawam

Mr Agyemang-Mensah said his ministry, in collaboration with the National Security and the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), was providing water tanker services in the area.

Besides, he said, three wells had been dug to supply water to the Nsawam treatment plants for treatment and onward distribution to the people.