Politics in water supply
Quality Water is an important and valuable resource without which life would be threatened. Its importance cannot be over-emphasised. The usage spans drinking, cooking, bathing in homes, commercial or industrial sectors. Should quality water be seen as a political commodity? If not, then what can we do to ensure its safety and sustainability?
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In the water sector, there are various actors or interest groups with different levels of interest and influence. They include the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), Water Resources Commission (WRC), the government, donors, Public Utility and Regulatory Commission (PURC), consumers, vendors, civil society institutions.
Water as human right
The United Nation’s stand on water supply is that potable water is a human right and that every human being is entitled and must have access to it. The human right to safe drinking water and sanitation is explicitly recognised in a number of international conventions and treaties.
It is also articulated in CESCR General Comment No. 15 of 2002 and affirmed by resolutions of the UN General Assembly and the UN Human Rights Council in 2010. The right obligesstates to provide for its progressive realisation and entitles everyone to sufficient, safe, acceptable, physically accessible and affordable water for essential personal and domestic uses. In this respect, civil society organisations, with focus on water, advocated strongly that water must be made accessible and to some extent, free for all.
Foreign donors
Much support to this sector comes from foreign donors. This is as a result of the inability of the Ghana government to fully finance the sector. Interestingly, this support comes along with some conditions, with emphasis on cost recovery. Since the late 1960s, the World Bank has approved more than $300 million directly to improve water operations in Ghana.
The World Bank supports programmes to improve access to water supply and the efficiency of water systems and management. The bank, for instance, supported the Government of Ghana to explore significant public-private partnership arrangements for the urban water sector to restore financial stability. (Source: A Directory of Ghana water and sanitation Sector)
Water conventions
The government, going by the International conventions on water, coupled with the fulfilment of political promises, tries to keep tariff low and also extends potable water to unconnected areas such as peri-urban and rural communities without recourse to cost-recovery for the sustainability of the utility operations. The government is faced with many competing demands such as education and health, which equally need attention. However, the government has limited financial resources.
The utility provider, GWCL, is faced with a lot of challenges spanning operations and maintenance costs for the production of potable water. But revenue required is always higher than the revenue generated.
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The PURC, which plays a key role in tariff setting, usually positions itself in a balance to ensure that the consumer is not over-burdened and also to maintain a level of tarrif that will not overstretch the capacity of the utility. Sometimes, the water company has it tough with the regulatory body as a result of setting tariffs which, in their estimation cannot meet revenue requirement.
Consumers and bills
Some consumers enjoy good services but do not want to pay their bills. As a result, payment of bills by customers becomes a big challenge to the company. There are some consumers who enjoy good services and are willing to pay but some enjoy the same services and are capable but are not willing to pay.
It is explicit that life without water will be difficult for humanity and the survival of the utility is key to ensuring regular and effective supply of potable water for all. Therefore, this should be a major concern to all the actors.
The questions which should be asked are: Should water be free? Should tariff be affordable? Should the poor be exempted from paying water bills? Is the government subsidy regular and sufficient?
The provision of potable water goes with cost. To ensure the sustainability of the facility, consumers have some commitments to make. To ease the burden on the poor, the government should design a system that will guarantee the regular and timely release of subsidy to the company.
The writer is a utility reform expert with the Northern Accelerated Intervention for Development (NAID) Tamale, Northern Region. naidghana@gmail.com or msaaniiddrisu@yahoo.co.uk 0246171426