Doris Dokua Sasu
Research Expert Ghana and Nigeria
Water industry in Ghana - statistics & facts
The population in Ghana obtains water from different sources, including the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), which is the main institution that provides water utility services in the country. It produced over 320 million cubic meters of water in 2021 and expected this amount to more than double in 2027. The company supplies water to almost one million registered customers, of which the majority are domestic users. In fact, sachet water, pipe-borne water, and boreholes are the primary drinking water sources for households in the country. Overall, accessing groundwater for consumption requires drilling. As of 2021, the number of registered licensed water drillers in Ghana added up to 85. Rainwater generally contributes to increasing groundwater levels. On average, the heaviest rainfall in the country is in September, which registers precipitation levels higher than 170 millimeters.
Furthermore, hydropower sources occupy a major proportion of electricity generation in Ghana, after gas. Hydropower plants produced more than 7,000 gigawatt hours of electricity in the country in 2021.
Water quality in the country
Indeed, the quality of water in Ghana has improved over the years. The country’s water is deemed of fairly good quality, on average, with up to a score of 60 points on the water quality index. According to the index, scores between 50 and 80 indicate fairly good quality water, while scores greater than 80 points represent good or unpolluted water. Individually, some river sources in Ghana, like the main Volta at Kpong and the lower Volta at Sogakope, have good water quality, each with a score of more than 80 points. On the other hand, water bodies like River Ankobra at Ampansie and River Offin at Dunkwa, are of poor quality, registering some of the lowest indices in terms of quality. Overall, measuring and managing the quality of water bodies is important in Ghana, especially in rural communities, as most rural dwellers rely on them as their main water source. However, this is usually problematic as external influences, such as illegal mining, often play a major role in water pollution.The country benefits from water in trade and use
Ghana obtains economic gains from the sale of potable water to both local consumers and international markets. In 2021, the GWCL, which is state-owned, sold around 173 million cubic meters of water. That year, it collected slightly over 892 million Ghanaian cedis (GHS) (roughly 71 million U.S. dollars) and 10 million GHS (797,000 U.S. dollars) on the volume sold to public entities and private consumers, respectively. By 2027, GWCL’s total water billings are forecast to more than double. Furthermore, albeit not considerably high, Ghana also accumulates revenue from exporting water. It exports water to countries such as Togo, Niger, Italy, and Germany. Alone, these countries were responsible for nearly 152,000 U.S. dollars of the country’s water exports in 2021.Furthermore, hydropower sources occupy a major proportion of electricity generation in Ghana, after gas. Hydropower plants produced more than 7,000 gigawatt hours of electricity in the country in 2021.
