Potable Water Supply and Its Implication on Household Productivity in The Wa Municipality of Ghana

Abstract

This study was conducted to find out the implications of access to potable water supply on the productivity of households in the Wa Township of the Upper West Region of Ghana. A total of 80 households from four section of the study area were used for the research through focus group discussions and questionnaire survey. Findings from the study shows that access to potable water supply is costly both in terms of money and time spent, which significantly hinder socio economic activities of households in Wa. Households in Wa face diverse challenges when accessing potable water. Among this challenges include irregular flow of water which is very common due to power failure and pipe leakages. More to the point water sources such as wells and boreholes dry up in the dry season and supply is usually less than demand which often result in queuing, fighting and lateness to work. It is recommended that Government, non-governmental organizations as well as philanthropists should work harder towards the expansion of   water supply system in the municipality, that is increasing the number of stand pipes and boreholes. Also the Ghana Water Company in conjunction with the Municipal Assembly should provide stand by generators to help pump water in the municipality during periods of power outages.

Keywords: Potable water, Supply, Implication, Household Productivity.