Ghana Water Company Research Articles

Estimation of the Quantity of Water in the Abandoned Underground Mine of Gold Fields Ghana Limited Tarkwa: A Potential Source to Augment Water Supply to Tarkwa Municipality

The Tarkwa district is an important gold mining area in the Southwestern part of Ghana. The main source of potable water supply to the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality is from the Bonsa River treatment plant managed by the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL). The River is under threat from serious contamination by illegal mining ("galamsey") activities within its catchment area. Consequently, the amount of water supplied to the Municipality has not kept pace with its growing population due to increasing treatment cost and supply difficulties. The need to find alternative and sustainable sources of potable water supply to augment that from GWCL to the Municipality has become imperative. A large void volume created as a result of the abandoned underground mine operated by Gold Fields Ghana Limited (GFGL), after its closure in 1999 has flooded. This potential water resource is being pumped out daily, and wasted, sometimes spilling-over to low lying areas around the mine when allowed to reach its decant level. This study estimated the quantity of water in the Abontiakoon Vertical Shaft (AVS) which is part of the large underground void using survey production figures and post-closure void filling parameters resulting in 2.8 x 106 m3 and 2.9 x 106 m3 respectively. The rate of recharge to the underground water was also estimated to ascertain the sustainability of the void water should it be considered for use by employing the model of predicting rebound on “void filling” basis and average dewatering rate before closure at 2 535 m3/day and 2 618 m3/day respectively; indicating that recharge to the AVS reservoir is about 6 x 106 gal/day or 30% of current daily water supply deficit in the TNM. The estimated potential volume of mine water in storage in the entire Tarkwa underground void is 32 x106 m3. Two samples of the mine water were taken in November 2011 and February 2015 for quality analysis, in order to have a fair knowledge of the water quality parameters. The quality of the underground water was found to be potentially good, and not likely to cause any health threats, or water quality problems. Depth sampling is recommended to determine the chemical profile of the reservoir. Keywords: Reservoir, Municipality, Bonsa River, Contamination, Tarkwa

Do the urban poor want household taps? Community preferences and willingness to pay for household taps in Accra, Ghana

In Sub-Saharan Africa, only 35% of the urban population has piped water on premises despite the economic (time savings) and public health benefits that household taps offer. In the urban informal settlements, even fewer people own household taps. However, while there is extensive literature on everyday urban water insecurity in the region, far less attention has focused on whether the urban poor are interested in private taps, and if so, what service attributes are important to them. We implemented a choice experiment in Nima, an urban settlement in Accra, Ghana, to investigate community preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for household taps. We used a comprehensive set of system attributes including days of service, service hours, water pressure, water quality, connection fees, monthly payment, and management, an attribute very few WTP studies have explored. Results from the choice experiment show that residents are more sensitive to time (not day) of service delivery, quality of water, connection fees, and monthly water bills. Households had no preference between a 24-h supply and 12-h supply during the day. Households preferred Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) to Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) as the service provider and were willing to pay more for a system managed by AMA, an indication of declining trust in GWCL. The findings provide valuable information that policymakers and water utilities can use to assess the feasibility and cost effectiveness of extending household taps to poor urban settlements.

Impacts of Human Activities on the Quality of River Water: A Case Study of River Densu in Nsawam Adoagyiri of the Akwapim South District, Eastern Region of Ghana

Activities in and around River Densu Basin poses a threat to the quality of the river. This study, therefore, assesses the impact of human activities on the water quality of River Densu from 2010 to 2015 using the Water Quality Index (WQI) and Nemerow’s Pollution Index. Twenty-five (25) physi-cochemical parameters were used in measuring the water quality to establish the extent of deterioration resulting from human activities. The data for the assessment was secondary data (2010-2015) obtained from the Ghana Water Company Regional laboratory in Weija Accra Ghana. The results of the study indicate that twelve out of the 25 parameters were above the guidelines set by WHO. Among the physicochemical parameters analyzed, turbidity, ammonia (NH3), iron (Fe), phosphorus (P), and aluminium (Al) exceeded the permissible limit in all the study years. The concentration of copper (Cu) exceeded the WHO standard for all the years except in 2011. Manganese concentration was above the WHO standard for all the years except 2010 and 2013. Nitrite exceeded the WHO standard in only 2015. Among the parameters which exceeded the WHO standard for all the years, turbidity recorded the highest increase and in the percentage range of 380% - 6891.1%. According to the NPI results, five parameters namely turbidity, NH3, Fe, P, and Al were the principal pollutants from 2010 to 2015 whereas As, Mg, Zn, and Pb were found not to contribute to the pollution effect. The metal Cu did pollute the river in all the years except in 2011 whereas Mn didn’t pollute 2010 and 2013. The water quality index confirms that the water quality is fair between 2010 and 2011; marginal among 2012 to 2014 and poor in 2015. The water quality results indicate that the water quality is frequently threatened or impaired between 2010 to 2014 however, the quality of the river is almost always threatened or impaired in 2015. Generally, catchment activities such as illegal mining, farming along the banks of the river, and discharge of untreated waste are the main processes polluting the Densu river which is a serious threat to the health of inhabitants in villages which still use the water for cooking activities. The investigation recommends continuous monitoring of the above-mentioned activities which goes on in the catchment to arrest the deteriorating water quality.

Policy factors explaining the failure of delegated management in water supply: evidence from Ghana

ABSTRACTIn the 1990s, delegated management emerged as a promising public policy approach for improving the performance of the water supply sector in many developing countries. In many cases, however, the obligations of delegated management contracts reportedly have not been met, often leading to early termination or non-renewal. Drawing on theories in policy analysis and knowledge management, this article analyzes the management contract signed between Ghana Water Company and Aqua Vitens Rand to identify the policy-related factors underlying the failure of delegated management in water supply. Practical implications are discussed for more successful implementation of delegated management.

The Influence of the Physico-Chemical Properties of Water on the Compressive Strength of Concrete

Objective: To determine the influence of the physico-chemical compositions of the different sources of water on the compressive strength of concrete.
 Materials and Methods: Seventy-two 150mm x 150mm concrete specimen were cast using six different sources of water and cured using the same water sources by immersion for 7, 14, 21 and 28 days. Each water sample was used to produce 12 specimen, three each for the four different ages. Concrete cubes were weighed using digital weighing machine before testing. Test for compressive strength was done using digital compressive test machine after which the Average Compressive Strength (ACS) of the three samples was determined.
 Results: The silt content of the fine aggregates used was within the recommended percentage specified by the IS part II 1963. The results obtained from the slump test classifies the concrete produced for the study as stiff or extremely dry. Though the Amissano and Aquarium water recorded some amount of slump, their slumps could still be described as no-slump and cannot be classified. The figures for the compacting factor test indicated low workability for the concrete produced for the test. It was only the concrete produced from the Kakum river water that had a medium workability. The sea water recorded the highest pH and was followed by the Kakumdo well water. The least pH was recorded by the Amissano well water. The total dissolved solid (TDS) of the Kakumdo well water and the sea water were far higher than the Ghana standards. On the other hand, the figures recorded by the Kakum water for chloride, total hardness, calcium hardness, magnesium hardness and electric conductivity were below what is prescribed by the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL). The calcium hardness of the Kakumdo well water was (160mg/l) more than the standard. The Amissano well water specimen recorded the least ACS both at age 7 and 28. This was the lowest among all the samples produced from the various sources of water used for the experiment. The significant strength increase of the Amissano well water samples was recorded at age 14 and 21. The Kakumdo water specimen recorded the highest earliest strength of 20.339KN/mm2 and was followed by the Kakum river water. The samples from this source still recorded the highest at age 14 and 21. But at 28, it was overtaken by the Kakum river water samples with the Kakum river samples recording 26.439 KN/mm2 as against the 25.484 KN/mm2 registered by the Kakumdo well water samples. The Aquarium well water specimen recorded high strength at both age 7 and 28 than the Amissano well water specimen.
 Conclusion:
 The Aquarium water and Amissano well water were more acidic, meaning their pHs were lower than 6. This had significant influence on the ACS of the samples produced from them. This was evident in the case of the Amissano well water samples which recorded the lowest earliest strength of (12.173N/) among the six sources. The ACS difference recorded between the Aquarium and Amissano well water samples which were all acidic was 5.379KN/mm2. This means that higher the acidity of the water use for the production of concrete, the lower the ACS. The Amissano well water was 10 times more acidic than the Aquarium water and 20 times higher than the Kakum river water, pipe borne water and Kakumdo well water but 40 times higher than the sea water.

Water-Use and Conservation in the Commercial Vehicle Washing Industry in Urban Ghana: The Case of Cape Coast Metropolis

Commercial vehicle washing businesses have gained popularity in urban Ghana. Most vehicle washing bays operating in the Cape Coast Metropolis rely on Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) for their water supply. With increasing vehicular numbers, the pressure on the limited safe water quantities is likely to increase. There is the need to regulate the operations of the commercial vehicle washing industry to ensure water conservation and its associated environmental and social impacts. This study is aimed at assess the water-use and conservation strategies in the commercial vehicle washing industry in the Cape Coast Metropolis. The study focused on all the sixteen (16) commercial vehicle washing bays in the Cape Coast metropolis which are registered with and certified by the Metropolitan Assembly and are also members of the Vehicle Washing Bay Operators Association, Cape Coast Branch. Data was collected through the use of pre-tested questionnaire and interview guide as well as personal observation and measurement. A total of Thirty-two (32) questionnaires were distributed to the General Managers and Operation Managers of all the 16 washing bays in the metropolis. In addition, officials of Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly (CCMA) and Central Regional office of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) were interviewed. Trained Research Assistants were assigned to each vehicle washing bay for one week including Saturdays and Sundays to count the number of vehicles washed daily and the quantity of water used for washing. The study revealed that the most common technique used by the washing bays is the manual and semi-automatic washing process. On the average, the quantity of water required for washing vehicles ranges between 162.0 litres for saloon vehicles and 532.0 litres for tipper trucks. A minimum of 96 vehicles are washed daily utilizing approximately 19,346.00 litres (19.346 m3) of water. There are no water efficiency and wastewater reclamation regulations in place for the vehicle washing industry. It is concluded that the existing commercial vehicle washing facilities in use does not ensure efficient water use and conservation.

Assessing the Physicochemical Parameters of Water Sources in the Fiapre Vicinity, a Suburb of Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana

This study was carried out to assess the water quality of all the available sources of water – stream (Attadie Stream), wells, boreholes and potable pipe-borne water supplied by the Ghana Water Company by treatment of water from the Tano River in the Fiapre vicinity for a period of three months, from February to April, 2018. Results from the survey were compared with the World Health Organization (WHO) standards to ascertain whether these waters are safe for drinking or not. A total of 11 samples were taken from all the sources of water in Fiapre. These samples were taken from 4 boreholes, 4 wells, and 1 sample each of upstream and downstream with 1 sample taken from water supplied by the Ghana Water Company. These samples were analyzed for their physicochemical parameters comprising pH, temperature, conductivity, total alkalinity, total dissolved solids, total hardness, calcium, magnesium, chloride, biological oxygen demand and chemical oxygen demand. From the study it was observed that the pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, chloride and total hardness of all the samples were within the World Health Organization standards. The samples, W 2 and GWC had their other parameters within the WHO standards while the rest had one or more of the other parameters way above the WHO standards.

Mapping, Characterization and Dispersion of Metallic Pollutants within a Catchment of Illegal Gold Mining Activities in Ghana

The illegal gold mining activities prevalent in most part of Ghana have caused substantial havoc to the environment especially water bodies which serve as sources of water for domestic, industrial and agricultural purposes. The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) recently shut down their water treatment plant due to the extreme pollution and high cost of treatment. This study focusses on the impact of mining activities on water quality of the affected water bodies, to assess the level of pollution of the river sediments and the extent of dispersion of the heavy metallic pollutants and to map out areas within the Konongo Municipality where illegal mining activities are prevalent. In this regard, both water and sediment samples from two rivers namely; Owerri and Asuokofi in Konongo (in the Asante Akim Central Municipality) were collected at different locations and analysed using Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (FAAS) to assess the concentrations and dispersions of metallic pollutants. Geographical Positioning System (GPS) coordinates of these sample locations were also taken for mapping the sampling points and area. Four different metals; mercury (Hg), Lead (Pb), Arsenic (As) and Cadmium (Cd) were analysed. For sediments, the mean levels of Pb, Hg, As and Cd for the owerri river were found to be 52.2±2, 0.3±0.5, 492±365 and 1.7±2.0 mg kg?1 respectively; whilst those for Asuokofi river were 12±0.7, 2.7±0.4, 21.2±13.5 and 1.6±0.4 mg kg?1 respectively. The mean levels of Pb, Hg, As and Cd for water of the owerri river are respectively 2.5±3.7, 0.20±0.4, 0.28±0.2 and 3.1±0.4 mg L?1; whilst those for Asuokofi river were 8.2±1.3, 2.3±1.8, 25.4±22.2 and 0.45±0.7 mg L?1 respectively. Comparing these levels with the WHO standards for water discharges, these concentrations far exceeded the recommended values. This will impact negatively on the quality of both rivers with dire consequences since they serve as the main raw water resource for drinking water production. Samples of sediments and water from the upstream of these rivers where no activity of alluvial mining is taken place were recorded and they showed lower levels of these metals. It can therefore be concluded that the activities of alluvial gold mining in the study area impacts negatively on both the quality of water in the river and the sediments thereof.

The Payment Behavior of Water Utility Customers in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana: An Empirical Analysis

Although water is an essential commodity with virtually no substitute, poor bill payment on the part of water utility customers is constraining the effort of water utility companies, especially those in developing countries to sustain and expand its provision. In this backdrop, this article investigates the interrelationship and impact of a set of attitudinal and institutional factors on the bill payment behavior of water utility customers of Ghana. A conceptual model of payment behavior is developed and tested using data from a cross-sectional survey of households in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana (GARG) and the billing records of Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL). Among the constructs considered in the analysis, service quality, corporate image, and monitoring and control are found to be the major determinants of customer satisfaction toward the water utility, which in turn, together with the direct influence of monitoring and control measures and transaction time at bill payment points, explains a significant part of the total variation in water customers’ bill payment behavior. We provide in-depth discussion and policy implications of our findings.

Household Deficiency in Demand for Water: Do Water Source and Travel Time Matter?

Despite the massive commitment by policy makers and stakeholders to increase the supply of water to households, many households have a deficiency in their daily quantity of water required for drinking and for general use. This paper focuses on the effect of water source and travelling time on households’ deficiency in demand for water using the GLSS6 data. A Tobit regression analysis of data on 2843 households reveals that a 1 minute increase in travelling time increases household deficiency in water demand by about 8 l (49%). Also, compared to pipe in dwelling/yard/plot, all other sources of water to the households come with greater levels of water deficiency. Government policies should focus on making more resources available to the Ghana Water Company Limited and the Community Water and Sanitation Agency so as to achieve more coverage of water accessible to both urban and rural households.

Hydraulic Model of District Metered Areas for Leakage Reduction in Ghana Water Company Limited: A Case Study of Dansoman DMA in Accra, Ghana

Water distribution network models are used by water utilities extensively. A promising model is required for increasing reliability of water provision. The main intention of the study was to develop a well calibrated and validated hydraulic model and also determine the level of leakage in the DMA. It presents a hydraulic model for Dansoman District Metered Area (DMA) pipe network in Accra, which is part of the supply network operated by Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL). The DMA serves a population of approximately 16,390 people and it covers an area of 363 hectares. Bulk flow readings were taken at inlet points. Nodal demands were allocated by calculating average uniform demand per connection. Variation in spatial distribution of population was accounted by computing the nodal influence areas by Theison polygon principle in Arc-GIS. Minimum Night Flow (MNF) measurements were taken by night flow loggers at sample points for leakage computation. The model was developed by using EPANET 2.0 and calibration of the model performed at critical moments produced a well calibrated and validated hydraulic model that presents quite closer measured and computed values with correlation coefficients between 0.66-0.98. The developed model can be used for both operations and management of water supply in the DMA. The study also found that leakage (physical water loss) in the DMA was 30.6% of the total water supplied. Therefore, the result of this study informs GWCL to implement a full scale leakage reduction action by showing how much of the water produced is being lost which could have increased the coverage and efficiency of the utility.

Urban but off the grid: the struggle for water in two urban slums in greater Accra, Ghana

This paper seeks to understand the daily lived struggles for water in two slum settlements in Greater Accra, Ghana. Poor infrastructure and governance leave the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) unable to fulfill the demand for water production in the capital city Accra, thus resulting in chronic intermittency of the urban water supply, and a high percentage of households purchasing water from neighbors and alternative sources such as sachet water, water kiosks, and water tankers. Utilizing theoretical insights from informality discourse, we examine household-level water access and the impacts of water supply disruption on daily lives by analyzing the emergent themes of eight focus group discussions (FGDs) about water access that were conducted in two slum settlements in Greater Accra. We observed intricate effects of water interference on daily lives, including negative perceptions about the government’s role in improving water access. The emergent themes from the FGDs included: (1) disruptions of individual and family livelihoods, (2) perceived disenfranchisement from quality water, (3) deprivation in an excluded space, and (4) the effect of exclusion on water rationing. These findings help us better understand the daily lived experiences of residents’ struggle for water security in a rapidly developing city and could have ramifications for slum upgrading projects that aim to improve human health and well-being.

Challenges Faced by Consumers of Ghana Water Company and the Way Forward: The Case of Tamale Metropolis, Ghana

Challenges Faced by Consumers of Ghana Water Company and the Way Forward: The Case of Tamale Metropolis, Ghana

Analysis of Accessibility to Water Supply and Sanitation Services in the Awutu-Senya East Municipality, Ghana

Despite the essence of water supply and decent sanitation services to mankind, access to these basic services is a challenge in the Awutu-Senya East Municipality. The paper examined accessibility to water supply and sanitation services in the Awutu Senya East Municipality and the accompanying consequences. In the analysis of water provision responsibility, it was established that the contribution of private individuals constituted 64.2% of daily water production while public water provision effort constituted 35.8%. In spite of the enviable contributions of private individuals in water provision efforts in the Municipality, however, about 45% of the water sources are salty while 28% are impure and contaminated. Aside the inability of the Ghana Water Company Limited to supply desirable water quantities in the Municipality, the Assembly has also not been able to regulate the prices charged on water by private water operators, or make meaningful effort to augment water provision in the Municipality. Management of sanitation in the Municipality has proven to be daunting for authorities. The factors that lead to poor sanitation in the Municipality are diverse, ranging from weak institutional capacity to wrong attitudes. Consequently, the inefficiency of waste collection companies encourages indiscriminate disposal of wastes in the Municipality. For this reason, the Municipal Assembly should issue a minimum water quality requirement to all identified private water operators in order to ameliorate the quality problems associated water supply in the Municipality. Additionally, the Assembly should devise a better monitoring tool for ensuring that tasks assigned to waste collection companies in the Municipality are efficiently executed.

Time series analysis of water consumption in the Hohoe municipality of the Volta region, Ghana

<p>Water is considered as a lifeline of all living things, especially humans; hence its availability is a critical component in the measurement of human wellbeing through the Human Development Index (HDI). Its production and distribution in Ghana, particularly in the Hohoe Municipality of the Volta Region is a challenge. This study seeks to identify the best-fit time series model to the water consumption data in the Hohoe Municipality and to forecast water consumption in the Municipality. This underpins the development of a time-series model for forecasting water consumption levels of the residents, institutions and businesses in the municipality. Several time series models, including AR, MA, ARMA, ARIMA and SARIMA were fitted to the data, and it emerged that the most adequate model for the data was ARIMA (2, 1, and 2). The model was then used to forecast the consumption for the next four years, to advise Ghana Water Company Limited in the municipality to meet the demand of the people.</p>

Building Resilient Organizations for Effective Service Delivery in Developing Countries: The Experience of Ghana Water Company Limited

Public organizations in developing countries can only be effective if they are able to develop and implement public policies effectively and efficiently. However, what continues to bother scholars is how to ensure that such bureaucratic organizations are also accountable and democratic. Some have argued that the solution lies with the building of merit-based organizations. Nevertheless, we believe that a critical factor in building efficient organizations in developing countries is the designing and building of resilient organizations. In this article, we provide a theoretical framework for building resilient organizations in developing countries and use it to examine water sector reforms in Ghana.

Willingness-to-Pay for Potable Water in the Accra-Tema Metropolitan Area of Ghana

A major problem confronting the Accra-Tema Metropolitan area of Ghana is the provision of potable water supply. One reason for this occurrence is the inability of Ghana Water Company Limited to meet the growing demand. This can partly be attributable to the ineffective pricing by the PURC which is below cost recovery levels. In this study we investigate household’s willingness-to-pay (WTP) for potable water supply together with the factors that determine WTP by using the Contingent Valuation Method (CVM). The results indicate that households in the Accra-Tema metropolis are willing to pay on the average GH￠0.10 for a bucket (17.5 litres) of water which is about 7 times more than what they are paying currently. Analysis of the factors that influence households WTP indicates that income, time spent to fetch water from existing sources, level of education, sanitation facility, perceived quality of current water supply, sex of the respondent and marital status are the main factors influencing households WTP for potable water supply services in the metropolis. We recommend that government improve water supply and increase tariffs since people are prepared to pay more for potable water supply as well as reduce inefficiencies that exist in the sector.

Water tariff conflict resolution through indigenous participation in tri-water sector partnerships: Dalun cluster communities in northern Ghana

The paper examines how the perceived ownership of a water resource negatively influenced local people's attitudes towards payment of potable water tariffs and exacerbated conflicts between water users and service providers in the Dalun community of the northern region of Ghana. The paper presents a case study of how community participation and endogenous approaches to conflict resolution contributed to payment of water tariffs. The findings show that the establishment of a tri-water sector partnership (TWSP), consisting of the Ghana Water Company Ltd (GWCL), private sector development practitioners, and community water boards, led to positive mediation of water tariff conflicts using the institution of chieftaincy. Alternative, endogenous conflict resolution methods combined with modern methods in a tripartite partnership showed promise as an approach to managing conflicts in water projects and in broader poverty reduction efforts.

Management in Public Utility Companies in Ghana: An Appraisal of Ghana Water Company Limited

Urban water provision system in Ghana covers 70 percent of the resident population but it is estimated that only 40 per cent of residents connected to the supply system have regular supplies. The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) which is responsible for production, distribution of potable water, billing and revenue collection from consumers is beset with many challenges. It faces several management challenges manifested in poor service delivery in terms of quantity and quality, poor cost recovery, weak capacity for operation and maintenance and poor financial management. This state of affairs has compelled the Government of Ghana to initiate reforms of the water sector including reengineering of the systems and possible Private Sector Participation in urban water provision. Presently, government has started physical expansion works in the water sector of many cities in Ghana. But not much has been done on the management system and its effect on water provision. The contention is that without effective management the expansion and reengineering works will not have sustainable effect on urban water provision. Given this scenario, Cape Coast, capital of Central region was chosen as case study on the management dimension of urban water provision. The institutional management assessment revealed that the GWCL as a quasi-state institution has limited autonomy for effective operation. This has culminated in poor performance and negative public image. The staff of the company admitted its poor service delivery and financial management. They are of the opinion that public-private partnership investment would improve the situation. However, consumers are unwilling to accept private investors’ participation in water provision due to the general perception that partnership will increase water tariffs.

Household Water Supply Vulnerability in Low Income Communities in Ghana: Experiences from Aboabo in the Kumasi Metropolitan Area

The process of urbanization holds great promise for economic and social progress of a nation. On the other hand this process is confronted with a lot of challenges. One such challenge is the increasing vulnerability to quality water supply among households in low income urban communities. In Ghana, urban households do not have water flowing regularly through their taps from the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) and therefore have to supplement their limited supply with water from sources such as Streams/Rivers and Wells. Indeed, whereas the quantity of available water is decreasing, the quality is also compromised mainly due to high population growth accompanied by low investments by the state. This research examines the extent of water supply vulnerability among households at Aboabo, a low income community in the Kumasi Metropolitan Area. Using both quantitative and qualitative approaches, the research revealed that water from source other than GWCL was highly polluted. This is evidenced from the higher counts of faecal coliforms and E. coli in the water bodies. Again, the research showed higher concentrations of physicochemical properties which were above the WHO standard for safe drinking water. The concentrations of microbiological and physiochemical properties in the water sources had implications on human health as most of the diseases reported were water related. The paper argues that Kumasi is well endowed with water resources, but the amount of water available for distribution within the city is far from uniform with the low income communities seriously underserved. The paper concludes that if this situation is not addressed with specific policy interventions, the consequence could be disastrous.