The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has justified its demands in tariff increments by 334%.

According to GWCL, everything has gone up, including its cost of operations; however, it has been using its 2017 tariff.

This was disclosed by its Head of Corporate Affairs at GWCL, Stanley Mantey, on Accra-based Citi FM on Wednesday, May 11.

He insisted the Company have to adjust its tariffs to generate enough revenue to sustain its operations.

“In 2020, our expenditure is amounting to ¢4 billion. Meanwhile, our income, per the tariffs we currently have, is around ¢2 billion, so how will we make up for the difference,” Mr Mantey asked.

Mr Mantey maintained that the GWCL’s operations will be affected should it back down on its proposal.

“Everything is going up, including the currency. This year alone, our chemical providers have increased the cost of their chemicals by 60 per cent.

"Meanwhile, it is the same tariff from 2017. So these are the things we have to look at. The way things are going, if we do not get the right tariff adjustment, it could affect our operations.”

The GWCL wants a 343% tariff increment, and the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) proposed a 148% increase in tariffs.

The GWCL argued that while the average tariff per cubic metre in 2019 was $1.27, the same was reduced to $1.13 due to the depreciation of the cedi.