The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has assured residents of Teshie, Nungua, Sakumono, Spintex and surrounding communities that the stalled Teshie-Nungua Desalination Plant will resume operations “in the shortest possible time” following government intervention.
Speaking on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Tuesday (13 January), Director of Public Relations and Communications at GWCL, Stanley Martey, said the shutdown of the desalination plant in October 2025 was due to a combination of maintenance challenges and unresolved legal and contractual issues with the private operators of the facility.
According to him, the plant—set up under a public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement—was shut down to avoid further contractual complications and to ensure the safety and long-term viability of the infrastructure.
“We shut down the desalination plant for two main reasons: maintenance issues and legal matters. We had to act to prevent future difficulties and to ensure that the plant is handed over to us in a condition we can use sustainably,” he explained.
Rationing programme introduced
Following the shutdown, Martey said GWCL introduced a water rationing programme, relying largely on supply from the Kpong Water Treatment Plant, which serves communities including Ashaiman, Tema, Kpone and parts of Nungua.
Under the programme, affected communities were scheduled to receive water two days a week, a system he said worked relatively well between October and November, and into parts of December.
However, he admitted that the system became strained during the Christmas period, when water demand surged significantly.
“During the festive season, demand went extremely high because more people were at home. That affected the balance of the rationing schedule,” he noted.
Martey added that supply conditions improved in recent weeks after adjustments were made, but acknowledged that the situation remains far from ideal.
Government steps in
He confirmed that government has now intervened to resolve the broader issues surrounding the plant, expressing confidence that operations would soon resume.
“Government has gotten itself involved, and we are hopeful that within the shortest time possible, the plant will be brought back into operation,” he said.
Martey rejected claims that the desalination plant may never operate again, insisting that GWCL would be transparent if such a decision were ever taken.
“If the plant was not going to come back into operation, we would inform the public. We have said clearly that we are working around the clock to ensure it resumes.”
Maintenance and quality concerns
Addressing questions about responsibility for poor maintenance, Martey explained that the desalination plant is owned and operated by private investors under a build-own-operate-transfer (BOOT) arrangement, with ownership expected to revert to GWCL after 25 years.
He stressed that poor maintenance could compromise water quality, something the company would not accept.
“We operate with standards higher than those of the World Health Organisation and the Ghana Standards Authority. Any plant supplying water to us must meet those standards.”
Billing, pressure challenges
Mr Martey also attributed some water access challenges to pipeline pressure differences, noting that communities farther from the source often experience lower pressure.
He added that disconnections due to unpaid bills have also contributed to supply gaps in some areas, urging residents to pay for the water they consume to help sustain operations.
Apology to residents
In his closing remarks, Martey, who disclosed that he also lives within the affected communities, apologised to residents and appealed for patience.
“I apologise to everybody who is affected. We are not sitting idle. We are doing everything possible to bring the plant back into operation, and we ask the public to bear with us,” he said.
He further appealed to customers to pay their water bills promptly, stressing that internally generated revenue is critical to reinvesting in infrastructure and improving service delivery.
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