The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has encouraged the public to report individuals who engage in illegal water connections to enable them enjoy water for free.

The GWCL urged members of the public to play the watchdog role to help reduce the rate at which water is pilfered as well as lower the cost of producing potable water.

Speaking to the media during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Denmark government, the Head of Communications for the Company, Stanley Martey, observed that illegal connections are denying GWCL valuable revenue.

He added that illegal connection is not only a drain on the Ghana Water Company, but affects the water bills of genuine customers thereby making them pay more.

“Some of our customers are engaging in illegal connections into their systems, and Ghanaians are watching. If you allow a customer to take more than he is supposed to take, he denies those downstream what they are supposed to get.’

“We have to be responsible and to report those who are engaged in it or haven’t even paid their water bills,” he said.

According to him, about 40% of water generated in the country is not accounted for due to illegal connections, leakages and bursts.

He explained that the partnership with the Denmark government will help address some of the challenges the Company has to deal with.

“Non-revenue water is one of the challenges we are faced with and in 2016 and 2017, non-revenue water was at 55%. Though we have managed to reduce it to 40%, it still remains a problem for us,” he noted.

Last year, the GWCL commissioned an ultra-modern metre system to help reduce financial losses.

The Ghana Water Company Limited believes the new technology will help it track water flows and improve its distribution.