The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has raised concerns over the increasing theft of water metres and illegal connections in the Kasoa District.
According to GWCL, these practices the residents are perpetrating are resulting in significant financial losses to the company.
Although the outfit recently took steps to disconnect and charged defaulters to pay approved rates and also arrested and prosecuted some metre theft offenders who were handed some court sentences, the practices have resumed in an exacerbated manner.
The District Manager for the GWCL, Comfort Kwao, says although Kasoa is highly populated, only 13,400 customers have officially registered with the outfit, translating that several others rely on other means such as drawing water from hydrant pumps and through other illegal means such as bursting pipelines to draw water for both commercial and domestic purposes.
According her, scrap dealers who are in search of the brass component are also engaged in rampant stealing of water metres.
She highlighted these problems during a visit by the Kasoa local chapter of the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) to the outfit to ascertain why most commercial and residential users get inconsistent supply within the municipality.
Leadership of GUTA laments commercial users such as chop bar and restaurant operators, mostly rely on the usage of sachet and bottled water for the preparation of wholesome food, placing them under tight financial burden and leading to huge losses.
Other key issues raised by GUTA include, low pressure on water hydrants around markets and key business areas that makes it difficult for firefighters to pump water to combat fires, irregular supply of water and the failure of GWCL to extend services to developing but populated areas.
After being informed that the shortage is due to inadequate supplies from the Weija and Kwanyako headworks, GUTA questioned why the government has not constructed additional sources to address the issue.
They are yearning for immediate steps to be taken to improve water supply to the area to boost economic activities as well as improve hygiene and sanitation.
By: Akwasi Addo | Metrotvonline.com | Ghana
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