For many Ghanaians, access to clean water is no longer just a question of availability—it’s increasingly about affordability. Across the country, households are paying more for water even as supply remains unreliable.
Climate change is altering rainfall patterns and contaminating water sources, driving up the cost of treating water to safe standards. What was once a simple utility is now a complex and expensive necessity.
The Hidden Crisis Behind Rising Bills
In Sekondi-Takoradi, resident Raymond Dzikunu has seen his water bills skyrocket.
“I used to pay about 40 to 50 cedis,” he says. “Now it’s over 170 cedis. You have to sacrifice other things like your children’s needs just to pay for water.”
When taps run dry, families must buy water at high prices. “Ten gallons cost about 30 cedis, and it won’t last three days for a family of six,” he explains. These additional costs, often not reflected in official tariffs, are pushing already stretched households to the edge.
Climate Change Makes Water Scarcer and Pricier
Experts say climate change is a growing factor in Ghana’s water crisis. Droughts reduce water supply, while flooding pollutes rivers and streams, making treatment more difficult and costly.
“Drought reduces water supply, while flooding contaminates water sources,” explains climate and health researcher Millicent Kwaw. Northern Ghana is experiencing prolonged dry spells, while heavy rains elsewhere wash pollutants into rivers, compromising quality at the source.
Galamsey Pollution Exacerbates the Problem
Beyond climate pressures, illegal mining, known locally as galamsey, has become a major threat to Ghana’s rivers. Rivers such as the Pra and Ankobra are heavily polluted with chemicals like mercury and cyanide, making treatment more expensive and complicated.
“These activities introduce harmful chemicals into our water bodies,” Kwaw notes. “This makes treatment more complex and costly.”
Strain on Treatment Plants
At facilities in the Western Region, the impact is clear. Water once easily treated now arrives heavily polluted, forcing plants to increase chemical use, energy consumption, and labor.
The Bonsa Water Treatment Plant in Tarkwa, originally designed for water with a turbidity level of 15 NTU, has recorded levels as high as 4,400. “The dredging we recently did cost close to four to five million cedis,” says Richard Esua. “If this continues monthly, you can imagine the pressure we are under.”
Other key plants, including Inchaban and Daboase, face similar challenges. Together, they produce less than half of the daily 15 million gallons needed for Sekondi-Takoradi, forcing residents to rely on alternative—and often unsafe—water sources.
Rising Costs Across the Board
Pollution also drives up chemical costs. Nana Yaw Barima, former regional communications officer of the Ghana Water Company, explains: “We now use chemicals that are about four times more expensive than alum because of pollution.”
Combined with energy, maintenance, and infrastructure pressures, the financial burden on Ghana Water Company is enormous. Projections show the cost of water treatment and distribution could reach GH¢17.7 billion by 2030, up from just over GH¢4 billion in recent years.
Exploring Solutions
Experts say solutions are possible but require decisive action. Stronger enforcement against illegal mining along critical water bodies, investment in climate-resilient infrastructure, improved waste management, and public education are key steps.
The Managing Director of Ghana Water Company Limited, Adam Mutawakilu, says the company is exploring innovative options, including tapping underground water reserves left behind by mining operations. “These reservoirs are less affected by surface pollution. Harnessing them could reduce the burden of treating heavily polluted water,” he notes.
The Human Cost
For households like Raymond’s, these solutions cannot come fast enough. “If we don’t stop pollution,” he says, “the cost will keep going up—and we are the ones who will suffer.”
Water is essential to life. In Ghana, the price of keeping it clean is rising fast. Climate change, pollution, and systemic challenges are turning safe water into a social and economic concern, not just an environmental one. Without urgent action, clean water may soon become out of reach for many families.
This story is brought to you by JoyNews in partnership with CDKN Ghana and the Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability Studies at the University of Ghana, Legon, with funding support from the CLARE R4I Opportunities Fund.