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Ghana Water Company

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Ghana Water Company
Company typeStatutory corporation
IndustryWater industry
Founded1993
HeadquartersAccra, Ghana
Area served
Ghana
Products
ServicesWater supply
Websitewww.gwcl.com.gh

Ghana Water Company (formerly Ghana Water and Sewerage Corporation, Aqua Vitens, and Rand Limited) is the majority provider of water utility services in Ghana.[1][2][3][4]

History

In the pre-colonial era, inhabitants of what is now Ghana primarily drew their water directly from natural sources such as streams, lakes, and rivers. Prior to World War I, the first public water system was established in the then Gold coast by the British who were then colonizing the Gold Coast.[5] In by that time the 1920s, other major towns and cities started having water systems which were built purposely to be used in some urban areas, including Winneba, Kumasi, and the then colonial capital Cape Coast.

Ghana Water Company[6] Limited was established on 1 July 1999, following the conversion of Ghana Water and Sewerage Corporation into a state-owned limited liability company under the Statutory Corporations (Conversion to Companies) Act 461 of 1993 as amended by LI 1648.[7]

Governance Structure

The Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources oversees water policies, GWCL operations, funding, and sector investments.

Guided by the Ministry, GWCL operates under an 11-member Board of Directors setting policies and a Managing Director overseeing day-to-day affairs along with three Deputy Managing Directors for Finance, Operations, and Special Projects.[8]

Supported by 17 Chief Managers, these leaders oversee departments including Project Planning, Human Resources, Legal, Communications, Finance, Operations, and more at the Head Office. Unit Heads support the 15 Regional Chief Managers, while District Managers oversee GWCL districts nationwide.[8] GWCL Ventures into the Packaged Water Industry after the reorganization of GWCL, which involved the merger of Ghana Water Company Limited and Ghana Urban Water Limited (GUWL) in 2013, the management of GWCL discussed the concept of producing bottled water. The Special Business Unit (SBU) was formed to set up a water bottling plant, and later in 2015, the Business Development Unit (BDU) took over this role to concentrate on expanding GWCL's water packaging business.[8]

After the official bidding procedure, the construction contract for the water bottling plant was awarded to Blessedfields Limited. Construction began in November 2017, and commercial production started in December 2018. The oversight of the G-Water Bottling Plant is in the hands of a General Manager.

Responsibilities of GWCL

The general duties of Ghana Water Company Limited encompass the following responsibilities:[8]

  1. Providing clean and safe drinking water to urban communities through processes of abstraction, treatment, and distribution.
  2. Conducting research and engineering surveys related to water and related topics.
  3. Outsourcing the planning, building, repairing, and expanding of both current and new water supply infrastructure.
  4. Ensuring top-quality water service in terms of quantity and quality for consumers.
  5. Frequently suggesting changes to tariffs to the Public Utility Regulatory Commission.

Commercial Services

  • Handling requests for new service connections, subscriptions, and managing customer records.
  • Defining and implementing business processes.
  • Entering into agreements with customers for providing clean water supply.
  • Sending out water bills to customers.
  • Collecting revenue from customers and taking action, such as disconnection or legal measures, for non-payment of water bills or other violations.

Locations and operations

GWCL has offices and stations across Ghana including regional and district offices which oversee the provision of potable water in their respective geographic locations and has its head Office in Accra.[9][10]

Water treatment plants

Weija

Kpong

Dallung

Regional Contacts[11]

ACCRA WEST REGION

  • Postal address: P. O Box DC 998, Dansonman

CENTRAL REGION

  • Postal address: P.O Box 377, Cape Coast

ASHANTI SOUTH REGION

  • Postal address: P.O Box KS 767, Kumasi

ASHANTI NORTH REGION

  • Postal address: P.O Box KS 767, Kumasi

VOLTA REGION

  • Postal address: P.O Box 41, HO

BRONG AHAFO REGION

  • Postal address: P.O Box 88, Sunyani

EASTERN REGION

• P.O. BOX 406 Koforidua

UPPER WEST REGION

P.O. BOX 39 Wa

References

  1. ^ "Trouble brews in Ghana Water Company Limited". www.ghanaweb.com. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  2. ^ Gadugah, Nathan. "Ghana News - Ghana Water Company MD resigns". www.myjoyonline.com. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  3. ^ "Ghana's daily struggle for water". BBC. 3 December 2008. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  4. ^ "Aqua Vitens hands over operations back to Ghana Water Company | PSI". www.world-psi.org. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  5. ^ http://ghanawatercompanylimited.com/gwcl_history.pdf
  6. ^ "Contact Us". GWCL - Welcome. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
  7. ^ "GHANA WATER COMPANY LIMITED - GWCL". www.gwcl.com.gh. Archived from the original on 6 May 2015. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  8. ^ a b c d "Company Profile – GWL - Welcome". 1 April 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  9. ^ "Fire Guts Water Company Quarters Kills 4-Year-Old Boy – Daily Guide". www.dailyguideghana.com. Archived from the original on 23 April 2015. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  10. ^ "GHANA WATER COMPANY LIMITED - GWCL". www.gwcl.com.gh. Archived from the original on 14 May 2015. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  11. ^ Gracia, Zindzy (7 September 2018). "Ghana Water Company contact and office locations". Yen.com.gh - Ghana news. Retrieved 11 January 2020.

Water supply and sanitation in Ghana

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