The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) in the Ashanti Region is justifying the recent upward adjustment in water tariff as it cites heavy cost of treating water impacted by illegal mining activities

The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission has announced a 4.02% increase on water tariff effective May 1, 2025.

Regional Manager of the Ghana water Limited in Ashanti, Hanson Mensah-Akuetteh, explains the exorbitant cost of treatment and ageing infrastructure are among reasons for the new adjustment.

“Irrespective of the quality of water, we must be able to provide the compliance requirement as the standard determines that you do and that comes with a cost because we have to import the chemicals. This requires foreign capital,” Mr. Akutteh explains to David Akuetteh on Luv Fm in Kumasi.

He continued: “Currently, most of the revenue that we get, it’s just for operational capital and some few maintenance cost. Our capital cost is difficult to pay for. Because the government has subsidized that portion. So, we are unable to charge realistic tariff. Because if we want to include that then seriously we have to increase the tariff beyond what the PURC gives us”.

Mr. Akutteh explains the government has cushioned consumers so much indicates the new tariff is at a “moderate” rate.

Meanwhile, the Ashanti region risks a protracted water crisis as the GWL charges the government to intensify efforts to ward off illegal miners on the Offin River.

The major river flowing through the region is now under threat of illegal mining activity, increasing its turbidity levels beyond permissible levels by the WHO.

He says the River, which is now under threat of the illegal mining activity, is the “savior” as it serves as the largest water source to the Barekese treatment plant.

“If we don’t protect it [Offin River] and it goes off, then technically it means that Barekese will be down. The whole Ashanti is down,” he said.

Mr. Akutteh further revealed the Barekese water treatment plant is currently ranked at the middle range (good) from its original “excellent” position of being a potable water.