THE acting Managing Director of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), Mr J.N.A. Nunoo, has hinted that the new water tariff will come into effect next month.

He said the company is presently liaising with the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) to reach concensus on the percentage increase to be charged.

Mr Nunoo dropped the hint when engineering students from selected institutions in some West African countries called on him in Accra yesterday.

The students are in the country to acquaint themselves with the operational and maintenance activities of the GWCL.

He explained that the need for an increase in water tariffs has come about due to serious operational and commercial problems such as the limitations caused by manual reading, theft and metre inaccuracies.

He said private institutions, ministries, departments and agencies owe the company about ?55 billion, explaining further that the indebtedness of those institutions is militating against the company’s ability to honour its indebtedness to the Electricity Company of Ghana.

Mr Nunoo said management has decided to engage people to undertake field checks to uncover illegal connections, unregistered customers, and also expedite action on the consumer metering programme.

He said for the company to charge low tariffs and improve efficiency, there is the need to improve the energy sector, adding that the completion of work on the West Africa Gas Pipe Line Project would enable the company to use thermal power to supplement the electric energy it currently relies on.

He announced that the company is looking at the possibility of setting up an alum factory which is vital for producing good and affordable water, adding that currently, the company imports alum.

Mr Nunoo said the company has over the years achieved a 45 to 50 per cent success in solving the problem of leakages.