Chief Manager of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), Serina Kwakye Mintah, has revealed that private consumers in the Upper West Region are owing the company over ¢2 million.

According to her, the monthly consumption of water by these consumers amounts to ¢630,000.

She made the revelation at the commissioning of an office at the Wa North District on Tuesday as part of activities to mark World Water Day.

“Before water gets to you, there are various processes involving energy and chemicals to transmit the water. So it is important that when you get these services, you pay in order for us to expand and make our payment obligations to our energy producers and chemical suppliers. They owe over ¢2 million.”

Mrs Kwakye Mintah noted that the GWCL has mapped out strategies including the introduction of the use of mobile money and the opening of more vending points to enable the company to reclaim its monies.

As part of ensuring waterbodies are protected, the Chief Manager urged citizens not to engage in activities that pollute natural resource.

“By our actions and inactions, we should not pollute our groundwater. Surface water is gradually dwindling. We must make sure we protect our groundwater. A lot of people take water for granted,” she said.

Annually, March 22, has been earmarked to commemorate World Water Day.

The day celebrated annually since 1993 seeks to create awareness on potable drinking water globally.

A core focus of World Water Day is to inspire action towards Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030. The theme for World Water Day 2022 is “Groundwater – making the invisible visible”.