Private water vendors are cashing in, as Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) is unable to supply parts of the Ho Municipality, Ho West and South Dayi Districts of the Volta Region, due to a faulty pump.

Demand for water from private vendors has skyrocketed as they have become the only reliable source of the essential commodity.

The Ghana Water Company Limited announced the completion of repair works on a faulty pump at their headworks at Kpeve on the 6th of January 2025.

Three days later, clients had news of the pump breaking down again, deepening the woes of residents, who were already suffering a shortfall in water supply.

Komkompe, a suburb of Ho, where Vivian Aforlofe lives is one of the hardest hit areas. This forced her to depend on water from a nearby well for domestic use.

“We suffer water crisis most often. I depend on this shallow well owned by an old lady. I had to beg to fetch two pans because she said the water was almost finished", she narrated.

Some residents had to depend on borehole owners to get the essential commodity for use at home and other places.

To salvage the situation, The Christ Resurrection Power Chapel International decided to provide water to members for free and non-members at a token to keep the pumps on and maintain the facility.

The Lead Pastor of the church, Rev. Duke Dowuona said it he identified the crisis as medium to serve humanity, hence the decision to provide free water to affected residents.

He said that the gesture was on humanitarian grounds, adding that non-members were charged a token to procure electricity and cover other operational costs.

Due to the high water demand, Amenyo Dordor took advantage of the situation and quickly started a water delivery service.

“I had to stop my plumbing works and sell water because people need water for use at home. We buy the water at GHS20 and sell it at 80 cedis. There is a high water demand”, he said.

Though it appears a bumper season for those engaged in the sale of water, they lament the pressure on their machines.

“There is pressure on the machines because demand is high but we are coping with the situation. We are making money though”, said Rasta, who sells water around the Ho Teaching Hospital.

Food vendors have also been hard hit by the inability of the utility service provider to supply water to clients.

“We use a lot of water to cook. Because of the crisis, we have to travel far to get water to cook. We cook for the public and must use clean water to do that. We are begging the government to work on the situation for us”, said Delight Emmanuela, a food vendor.