Ghana Water Company Ltd announces 3-day shutdown of Kpong-Tema pipelines for major maintenance

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Residents of parts of the Greater Accra and Eastern regions are set to experience temporary water supply interruptions as Ghana Water Limited (GWL) begins a three-day maintenance exercise on the critical Kpong-Tema transmission pipelines.

The planned works, scheduled from Thursday, August 6 to Saturday, August 8, 2026, will involve the isolation and replacement of degraded sections of the 21-inch and 42-inch pipelines that convey treated water from the Kpong Water Treatment Planto the Tema distribution network.

According to the utility company, routine engineering inspections have identified more than 300 metres of pipeline sections showing advanced signs of deterioration, requiring urgent replacement to avert catastrophic failures that could cause prolonged outages.

Scope of the exercise

To carry out the replacement safely, the Kpong Water Treatment Plant will be temporarily shut down, while five segments of the transmission mains will be isolated for the swap. The company said its technical teams would work around the clock throughout the three-day period to complete the exercise on schedule.

“This is a strategic investment aimed at reducing pipeline bursts, minimising emergency shutdowns, improving operational efficiency and strengthening water supply reliability within the Tema and eastern corridor areas of the Greater Accra Region,” GWL stated in a public notice.

Affected communities

The shutdown will affect a wide swathe of communities, including Ashaiman, Katamanso, Zenu, Atadeka, Afienya, Appolonia, Prampram, Kpone, Dawhenya, the entire Tema Metropolis, Spintex, Baatsona, Sakumono, Nungua and Teshie.

In the Eastern Region, affected towns include Kpong, Akuse, Somanya, Atimpoku and surrounding communities.

Contingency arrangements

GWL has advised residents in the affected areas to store adequate quantities of water ahead of the exercise and to use the available supply judiciously throughout the period. Critical institutions such as hospitals, health facilities and other essential service providers have been urged to make their own contingency arrangements.

The company, however, assured that water tankers would be deployed to support selected critical institutions during the maintenance window.

Background and context

The Kpong-Tema transmission system is one of Ghana’s most important water infrastructure assets, supplying treated water from the Volta River to the industrial hub of Tema and surrounding municipalities. The pipelines, some of which have been in service for decades, are prone to frequent bursts due to ageing, corrosion and pressure fluctuations.

The maintenance comes at a time when GWL is under pressure to reduce non-revenue water—water lost through leaks, bursts and illegal connections—which currently stands at an estimated 50 percent nationally. The company has embarked on a broader asset rehabilitation programme aimed at achieving a more reliable and sustainable supply.

In recent years, repeated pipeline failures have triggered public outcry, particularly in Tema and its environs, where industries depend heavily on steady water supply for production. The three-day shutdown, while disruptive, is expected to significantly reduce the frequency of emergency breakdowns in the medium term.

Apology and updates

GWL has apologised for the inconvenience the temporary disruption will cause and assured the public that updates on the progress of the works would be communicated through its official channels, with a notification to be issued once normal supply is fully restored.

The company urged all customers to remain patient, emphasising that the short-term inconvenience would yield long-term gains in service reliability.