Challenges of Water Supply in Urban Ghana An Assessment of the Coping Strategies in Adentan Municipality

Abstract

In most developing countries, it has been recognized that conventional water utilities have fallen short in providing adequate water services to populations especially to urban residents. The little water produced by these water utilities is not evenly distributed. In Ghana, Adentan Municipality is a typical community that is presently faced with inadequate water supply due to the inability of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) to supply water to the area. Most households in the municipality therefore seek other alternative sources of accessing water. This study examined the challenges of GWCL in providing water to the Municipality, the coping strategies adopted by households and the socio-economic effect on the people. The study design is a case study and the approach is a mixed method. Quantitative data was collected from 200 households while qualitative data was collected from 6 informants from the GWCL (the institution responsible for urban water supply) through an in-depth interview. The study revealed that the major challenges faced by the GWCL are inadequate funds for operation, corruption, politicization of the water sector, unplanned township/community, and frequent electricity power outages among others. Again almost every household adopt a coping strategy mainly alternative means of accessing water other than the GWCL and also by conserving the little water accessed. Among others, the most socio-economic effects the municipality face due to the lack of or inadequate water supply are the risk of drinking untreated water from the open wells/tanks or surface waters, undue exploitation of residents by informal water suppliers. The study recommends provision of adequate and of timely funding to GWCL by the government, total desist of politicians from interfering in the management of the institution, and a law to regulate the activities and prices of the informal water vendors in the Municipality. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh