Teshie taps run dry, $126m desalination plant sits idle

The massive Teshie-Nungua Desalination Plant, built to alleviate water shortages, has been silent for over eight months, its $126 million facility locked and idle. Ghana Water Limited halted operations due to unresolved financial disagreements, exorbitant running costs, and substantial losses, leaving the community in Teshie facing a severe water crisis.

Residents report dry taps for weeks, forcing them to rely on costly private water tankers. Naa Adjeley, a trader and mother of three, spends over 300 Cedis weekly on water for basic needs, impacting her small business. Low-income families struggle with these expenses, compelling many to travel long distances to access water from potentially unsafe sources.

The core issue stems from a controversial contract where the private operator charges Ghana Water approximately 6.75 Cedis per unit of water, while the national regulator permits Ghana Water to sell it to the public for only 1.47 Cedis. This resulted in a loss of 5.28 Cedis per unit, accumulating massive debt. When government bailouts ceased, the plant's operators were forced to shut down.

Local authorities are seeking immediate solutions, with the Municipal Chief Executive for Ledzokuku announcing plans for emergency boreholes in public institutions. Meanwhile, Ghana Water officials are in high-level discussions with the Ministry of Finance to renegotiate the contract and potentially reopen the plant. However, for the residents of Teshie, these ongoing meetings offer little immediate relief from their daily struggle for clean water.

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We haven't seen a single drop of flowing water in my house for nearly a month. Now, we are entirely at the mercy of private water tankers. I am spending over 300 Cedis every single week just to buy water for cooking, washing, and bathing. My small business is barely surviving because almost all my profit goes into buying water.