Stanley Martey, Communications Manager at the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), has revealed that illegal water connections and delayed payments from government institutions are key challenges affecting the utility’s revenue collection.

Speaking on JoyNews, he said, “One of the big issues causing Ghana Water to lose so much money is illegal connections… and people not paying their money on time, especially government institutions who are owing so much money.”

Martey explained that while government payments may not always be timely, GWCL has systems in place to manage these debts.

"Currently, all loans have been online to Ghana Water Limited, and sometimes the government uses that to offset our indebtedness to them. There are certain times the government will pay half a year or a full year of its indebtedness to us, and when they do that, it helps. Any time it is done, we still manage the system,” he added.

The comments come after the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) announced upward adjustments to water and electricity tariffs following the completion of its 2026–2030 Multi-Year Tariff Review (MYTO).

Effective January 1, 2026, water tariffs are set to rise by 15.92%, while electricity tariffs will increase by 9.86% for all customer categories.

The PURC said the new rates were determined after months of investment hearings, stakeholder consultations, and regional public forums.

The regulator cited projected production and sales volumes, non-revenue water levels, expected capital investments, and prevailing macroeconomic conditions as key factors in the adjustment.

Martey said the company remains committed to managing its operations efficiently despite these pressures.