Ghana Water Limited (GWL) has warned that the cost of treating and distributing clean water across the country could skyrocket to GH¢17.7 billion by 2030, more than quadruple what it spent just two years ago.

In its latest proposal to the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), the utility company revealed that it is seeking a 280% increase in water tariffs to keep operations running sustainably.

Here’s the breakdown as you see in the figure above,

• In 2023, GWL spent about GH¢4.1 billion on operations.
• The figure rose to GH¢5.5 billion in 2024, and
• Jumped 46.6% in 2025 to reach GH¢8.1 billion.

At this pace, Ghana Water projects that the cost of keeping taps flowing could more than double by the end of the decade.

So, what’s driving this sharp rise?

A mix of economic and environmental pressures is behind the surge. First, the cedi’s depreciation has made imported equipment, treatment chemicals, and spare parts far more expensive. Then, there’s the frequent pipeline damage caused by road construction activities nationwide, adding extra repair costs.

But perhaps the biggest threat is illegal mining (galamsey), which has severely polluted over 18 major rivers that are the main raw water sources for treatment plants.

As water quality declines, Ghana Water now has to use larger quantities of treatment chemicals, increasing costs significantly. In some cases, it has had to shut down at least 12 treatment plants for maintenance and repairs due to the damage caused by heavily silted and contaminated water.

The bigger question

With illegal mining showing no signs of slowing and costs spiralling upward, how long can Ghana Water sustain operations without massive tariff adjustments?

And if the company’s projections are anything to go by, consumers may soon be paying a lot more just to keep clean water running through their taps.