GWL task force uncovers illegal water connections at 2 facilities
Officials of the Ghana Water Limited (GWL) have uncovered illegal water connections involving two institutions at Shai Hills and Asutsuare in the Shai Osudoku District of the Greater Accra Region.
The institutions, a sachet and bottled water manufacturing company, and a medical facility were alleged to have been using illegally obtained treated water diverted from the main meter for their operations over an extended period.
This was discovered on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, after a team from the GWL and security personnel stormed the facilities as part of an intensified nationwide crackdown on unauthorised water use under the newly launched National Revenue Enhancement Task Force.
Speaking to journalists after the exercise, the Tema Region Communications Manager of GWL, Sampson Ampah, explained that the task force, acting on intelligence and weeks of surveillance, discovered a complex system used to divert treated water directly into the factory’s production tanks without passing through a meter.
“This morning, upon arriving here, we discovered that the company has been using water illegally for a long period. Our checks revealed that they had not only bypassed the meter but had actually removed it entirely and connected water directly into their storage tanks,” he said.
Storage
Mr Ampah said the company used eight large storage tanks, each with a capacity of more than 2,000 litres, to hold water for the production of their sachet and bottled water.
“This is treated water, and every drop we produce must be accounted for, yet this company has been using large quantities without paying for any of it. The volumes involved are extremely significant, and the financial losses are substantial," he said
Mr Ampah said that, on the part of the medical facility, the task force detected an illegal connection that had reportedly been in place for nearly five years.
He added that investigators found the facility had tapped directly into a 21-inch GWL main line and diverted water into its underground storage reservoir.
He explained that some illegal connections were deliberately engineered to be extremely complex, making them difficult to detect.
He said in both cases, the task force conducted multiple visits and even laid an ambush before confirming the illegalities.
“The team came here two or three times before fully establishing what was happening. Some of these setups are sophisticated, and that is why public collaboration is essential," he said
Mr Ampah appealed to the general public to provide information whenever they suspected illegal water use, bypassing, meter tampering or unauthorised connections.
He assured potential informants that their identities would not be disclosed, adding that GWL offers a financial reward for credible information leading to the detection of illegal connections.
He disclosed that officials from both facilities had been invited by security agencies to assist in ongoing investigations.
Mr Ampah gave the assurance that GWL remained committed to protecting treated water, reducing revenue losses, and ensuring fair and responsible use of the country’s water resources.
