Why Treating Water Could Cost Ghana Water Ltd GH¢17.7 Billion by 2030

Ghana Water Limited (GWL) has sounded an early warning that the cost of treating and distributing potable water in the country could reach an astonishing GH¢17.7 billion by 2030, more than four times what it spent just two years ago.

The company, in its latest submission to the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), has appealed for a 280 percent increase in water tariffs to sustain operations and prevent a total systems collapse. The figures reveal a worrying pattern: in 2023, operational expenses stood at GH¢4.1 billion, rising to GH¢5.5 billion in 2024, and climbing sharply by 46.6 percent in 2025 to reach GH¢8.1 billion. If this trajectory holds, Ghana Water may be forced to spend more than double the current amount by the end of the decade simply to keep taps running.

Behind this surge lies a complex mix of economic and environmental pressures. The depreciation of the cedi has made imported chemicals, spare parts, and machinery increasingly expensive. The situation is worsened by frequent pipeline damage caused by road and construction works, which adds to repair and maintenance costs. Yet, perhaps the most alarming factor is the growing threat of illegal mining (galamsey), which has left many of Ghana’s major water bodies heavily polluted and silted.

With more than 18 rivers serving as raw water sources now contaminated, treatment plants are being forced to use much larger quantities of purification chemicals just to make water safe for use. This has driven up operational costs significantly and, in some cases, forced the temporary shutdown of at least 12 treatment plants due to excessive siltation and pollution-related damage.

The bigger concern, however, is sustainability. As galamsey continues unchecked and production costs soar, the company faces a difficult question, how long can it continue to supply clean water without massive tariff adjustments? The projection of GH¢17.7 billion by 2030 paints a sobering picture of what lies ahead if current trends persist.

Ultimately, consumers may have to brace for steeper water bills, while the country contends with the deeper reality that economic instability and environmental neglect are combining to make one of life’s most basic necessities, clean water, increasingly expensive to provide.