Ghana Water Limited (GWL) is stepping up efforts to curb the rising incidents of water theft, which not only deprives it of the needed revenue but also strains existing infrastructure and disrupts fair and sustainable service delivery.

Another worrying incident the GWL was being saddled with was the stealing of water meters, which was happening nationwide.

The Managing Director for GWL, Adam Mutawakilu, told the Daily Graphic that since the beginning of 2025, thousands of water meters have been reported stolen nationwide and that the company was working closely with the Ghana Police Service to investigate and prosecute offenders.

Situation

Between the last quarter of 2024 and the first half of 2025, theft activities such as the bypass of water meters, direct tapping into pipelines, the use of inline pumping equipment and the growing theft of water meters have increased.

Thousands of unauthorised connections have been reported in all operational areas of the GWL, contributing to a loss of revenue, with large volumes of water produced, transmitted and distributed unable to be accounted for by the GWL.

In the Accra-Tema Metropolitan Area alone, over 2,700 illegal connections were uncovered between the last quarter of 2024 and the first quarter of 2025.

These included unauthorised service lines, bypass of customer meters, and several reconnections made by customers after lawful disconnections for nonpayment of bills.

In one widely reported case, it was detected that a property at Power Land, near Ritz Junction, Agbogba Road, had three water service lines, out of which only one had a meter.

The other two supplied tanker operators circumvented the entire billing system.

The setup included large underground reservoirs concealed behind a wall.

Regions rise to the task

The Regional Production Manager for the Accra-Tema Metropolitan Area, Dr Hadisu Alhassan said, “such connections for commercial gain put an unfair burden on the entire network”.

He commended the GWL Board Chairman, Eric Biliguo Adama, who personally led the inspection that uncovered the Agbogba case.

In Accra West, the company has taken legal action against over 800 users who failed to take advantage of a grace period to regularise their service.

In the Accra East Region, similar concerns persist as the PR and Communications Manager for the region, Nana Yaw Barima Barnie, highlighted the increasing cases of bypassed meters and unauthorised extensions, saying that such practices led to service interruptions and made it difficult to plan water distribution effectively.”

In the Ashanti Region, five individuals were arrested in areas including DeNyame, Dakodwom, Kwadaso Estate and Santasi Apire for unlawfully tapping into GWL pipelines.

The PR and Communications Officer for the region, Padi Kwabena Narh, said the culprits have been surcharged and monies recovered.

In Tamale, the enforcement drive led to a successful prosecution of a 50-year-old businessman, Ibrahim Baako Alhassan, who was convicted by the Circuit Court for illegally installing in-line pumps on GWL pipelines.

He was fined GH¢3,600 or 12 months in prison and was directed to sign a bond to be of good behaviour.

Law and accountability

The GWL has consistently promoted a balanced approach — one that allows offenders to correct their actions while applying the law where necessary.

The GWL MD said; “Before resorting to legal action, we issue notices, extend grace periods, and educate the public on proper procedures. Unfortunately, when people choose to disregard these measures, we have no option but to apply the law”.

Beyond enforcement, Mr Mutawakilu said the company was exploring community-based partnerships in areas identified as hotspots, where 10 per cent of the amount recovered from a culprit would be given to whistleblowers who come forward with credible information on illegal water activities.