Managing Director of Ghana Water Limited, Adam Mutawakilu, has attributed persistent water shortages in parts of Accra and its surroundings to ageing treatment plants and decades of limited infrastructure expansion.

Speaking on the Joy Super Morning Show, Mr Mutawakilu revealed that several of the country’s major water facilities were constructed more than 60 years ago and are now operating below capacity.

“We have the Candy plant in Accra, constructed in 1950. Then the Kpong old Works in 1954. The Weija plant was built in 1960,” he said. “These are very old plants, and they are still forming the backbone of our water supply today.”

He explained that additional facilities were built in later years, including another Kpong new Works plant in 1965 and the Adomako Clarke plant in Weija in 1980, but expansion slowed for long periods afterwards.

Further investments followed in 2014 and 2015 under former President John Dramani Mahama, including the Tahal and desalination plants at Kpong, as well as the Siemens and China Gezhouba facilities.

“That means out of the ten major plants, four were constructed under President Mahama,” Mr Mutawakilu noted.

Despite these investments, he said no major increase in water production has occurred in Accra and parts of the Greater Accra Region in recent years, even as population and demand continue to rise.

“Since then, not even a gallon of water has been added to production in Accra,” he said. “Meanwhile, the population is growing, and demand keeps increasing.”

Mr Mutawakilu disclosed that at least five of the country’s major water treatment plants are now considered aged, with serious technical limitations.

He said many of the old facilities operate at low capacity due to obsolete equipment and deteriorating pipelines.

“Some of these pipelines were constructed with asbestos and metal several decades ago,” he explained. “They are weak, outdated, and very expensive to maintain.”

He added that frequent leakages, pressure losses, and breakdowns continue to affect water distribution, especially in densely populated urban areas.

The Ghana Water Limited boss also pointed to rapid urbanisation in Greater Accra, including communities around Accra and Weija, as a major factor worsening supply challenges.

Over the years, residents in parts of the capital have complained of irregular flow, rationing, and dependence on water tankers, particularly during dry seasons.

Mr Mutawakilu stressed that without significant investment in new treatment plants and modern pipelines, water supply problems are likely to persist.

He called for long-term planning and sustained government support to upgrade ageing infrastructure and expand production capacity.

“Water is essential for life and development,” he said. “We need to match our infrastructure with our population growth, these challenges will continue.”