Water shortage to hit parts of Accra, Eastern Region as GWL announces temporary shut down of the Kpong plant; see affected areas

• Ghana Water Limited will temporarily shut down the Kpong Water Treatment Plant from August 6 to 8 to replace deteriorated sections of its transmission pipelines, leading to water shortages in parts of Greater Accra, Tema and the Eastern Region.

• Communities including Ashaiman, Tema, Spintex, Sakumono, Nungua, Teshie, Prampram, Dawhenya and Afienya are expected to experience water supply interruptions or reduced water pressure during the maintenance period.

• GWL has advised residents to store enough water before the shutdown and said hospitals and other essential institutions should make contingency plans, with water tankers to be deployed to selected critical facilities where feasible.

Residents across the eastern part of Greater Accra, Tema and parts of the Eastern Region are expected to experience water shortages from Thursday, August 6 to Saturday, August 8, as Ghana Water Limited (GWL) temporarily shuts down the Kpong Water Treatment Plant to carry out major maintenance works.

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The planned shutdown is to allow engineers to replace deteriorated sections of the main transmission pipelines that supply treated water from Kpong to Tema and surrounding communities.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, August 4, GWL said the maintenance forms part of its infrastructure improvement programme aimed at ensuring a more reliable water supply in the long term.

According to GWL, routine engineering inspections found more than 300 metres of weakened pipeline that require urgent replacement before they fail. The company said the ageing pipelines have become increasingly vulnerable to bursts and leakages, making preventive maintenance necessary.

To safely complete the work, the Kpong Water Treatment Plant will be temporarily taken offline while engineers isolate and replace 5 sections of the transmission pipeline. The maintenance is part of GWL's broader efforts to reduce water losses and improve supply reliability.

GWL says customers supplied by the Kpong Water Supply System should expect temporary water supply interruptions or reduced water pressure during the three-day maintenance period.

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The affected areas include:

• Gbetsele

• Ashaiman

• Katamanso

• Zenu

• Atadeka

• Afienya

• Appolonia

• Prampram

• Dawhenya

• All communities within the Tema Metropolis

• Kpone

• Spintex

• Baatsona

• Sakumono

• Nungua

• Teshie and surrounding communities

• Akuse

• Somanya

• Atimpoku and nearby towns

• Kpong

GWL has urged residents in the affected areas to prepare ahead of the shutdown.

The company also encouraged hospitals, health facilities and other essential service providers to make contingency plans. Where possible, GWL said it would deploy water tankers to support selected critical institutions during the maintenance period.

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Although the maintenance will temporarily disrupt water supply, GWL says replacing the damaged pipeline sections will significantly improve the reliability of the Kpong water system.

According to the company, the work is expected to reduce pipeline bursts, minimise emergency shutdowns, improve operational efficiency and strengthen water supply to Tema and the eastern corridor of the Greater Accra Region.

The utility said engineers will work continuously throughout the three-day exercise to complete the project on schedule and restore normal water supply as quickly as possible.

The Kpong Water Treatment Plant is one of the country's most important water production facilities, supplying treated water to Tema and large parts of eastern Greater Accra.