Community Water and Sanitation (CWSA) says bills of water consumed will from 1st January, 2021 be the responsibility of water service providers in the rural subsector.

This follows a statement released by the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) that government’s free water package to Ghanaians as part of its interventions to curb the coronavirus pandemic ends December 31, 2020, as earlier announced by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

In a statement released by Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA), he said: “With reference to the Presidential directive on provision of Free Water to Ghanaians from April to December 2020, as part of measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the country, Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA) and the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, wish to inform all customers in rural communities and small towns that effective Thursday 31st December, 2020, the provision of Free Water to Ghanaians comes to an end.”

It emphasized that “all categories of water service providers who participated in the provision of Free Water within the designated period are also to note that CWSA will not accept bills on water consumed by their customers from 1st January 2021. They are therefore advised to revert to the former methods of billing and collection of payment from customers.”

Read the full statement below:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ATTENTION: ALL PRIVATE WATER SERVICES PROVIDERS, WSMTs & NGOs IN THE RURAL WASH SUB-SECTOR

GOVERNMENT’S FREE WATER PROGRAMME ENDS 31ST DECEMBER 2020

With reference to the Presidential directive on provision of Free Water to Ghanaians from April to December 2020, as part of measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the country, Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA) and the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, wish to inform all customers in rural communities and small towns that effective Thursday 31st December, 2020, the provision of Free Water to Ghanaians comes to an end.

In this regard, customers of CWSA, and all other water services providers in the rural Sub-sector namely; Private Water Providers, Water & Sanitation Management Committees (WSMTs) and NGOs, as well as the general public should please note that, effective 1st January 2021, the monthly payment of bills for water consumed will become the responsibility of the customers and not Government of Ghana.

All categories of water services providers who participated in the provision of Free Water within the designated period are also to note that CWSA will not accept bills on water consumed by their customers from 1st January 2021. They are therefore advised to revert to the former methods of billing and collection of payment from customers.

CWSA also wishes to inform all consumers in rural communities and small towns that the Agency’s Water System Management Staff (WSMS) will resume full operations in connection with billing, meter reading and revenue collection from customers at the designated places as was done before the commencement of the Free Water. These staff will identify themselves appropriately and observe all the COVID-19 protocols within the premises of customers.

The Agency wishes customers to note however that, observance of the covid-19 protocols at all public standpipes manned by vendors as well as all premises of the Water System Offices will be strictly enforced. Community members are therefore reminded to continue to observe the following preventive instructions at public standpipes:

• Water Vendors will revert to normal opening hours for the provision of water as previous.

• Water Vendors will continue to serve one consumer at a time and ensure the observance of social distancing protocols in force to avoid crowding at all times.

• Where consumers fail to observe social distancing protocols and mass up at the standpipe, the vendor will temporarily close the tap until order is restored to save lives.

Community Water and Sanitation Agency would like to assure its customers of continuous supply of safe water and quality services.

The Agency and the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources express their sincere gratitude to all Customers and Water Services Providers for their cooperation towards the implementation of the presidential directive of Free Water to rural communities and small towns throughout the nine months period.

On behalf of the Sector Minister, Board and Management of CWSA, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a prosperous 2021.

End.

SIGNED

ING. WORLANYO KWADJO SIABI
CHIEF EXECUTIVE