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Water Citizens Network (WCN) of Ghana, a civil society organization, has disapproved of the policy of prepaid water meters that the Ghana Water Company Limited intends to use to enforce full cost recovery measure.

According to a statement issued in Accra signed by Mr Leonard Shang-Quartey, a convener of WCN, said any financing policy that excludes a portion of the population from access is not a sustainable means of ensuring universal access to water.

This suggestion was made by the Network in Accra ahead of the commemoration of World Water Day.

The statement indicated that a sustainable financing mechanism is one that achieves both regular and predictable source of revenue for the supply of water; and also provides universal access for the population.

Mr Shang-Quarter said that the Network recognizes Government’s increased investment into infrastructure but also note that much could be done for rural water just as much could be done for ensuring the sustainability of new projects and also for achieving universal access to water.

He noted in the statement that, since the theme for this year’s World Water Day was “Water and Sustainable Development”, it was important to emphasize on water conservation and usage linked to address issues on sustainable access for all humans and living organisms whose lives depended on water.

The Convener indicated that the Network believes universal access to water could only be achieved through means of collective financing which charges usage fees through taxes and provides free access to collectively determined fixed volumes of water at the point of usage.

He stated that although the Government deserves commendation for the massive investments into urban water provision over the past five years, these investments will be ruined in the immediate future if the issues of sustainable source of financing maintenance and operation of new plants and equipment were not addressed.

Mr Shang-Quarter also noted that it is obvious that tariff contributions from customers alone cannot fully support the financing of maintenance and operation cost and doing so will deny people without economic means adequate access to water.

“We call for the introduction of a water levy which should be introduced as a percentage of property taxes/rates collected by the Metropolitan, Municipal and Districts Assemblies.

“Funds realized from this means could be paid directly from the District Assemblies to the Ghana Water Company Limited and the Community Water and Sanitation Agency”.

According to the statement, media reports and coverage as well as interviewing of cholera patients indicted that the disease was contracted as a result of eating foods prepared with unhygienic water.

“Avoiding such incidences will require a financing mechanism which does not restrict access but provides safe drinking water to all”.

The Water Citizens Network is a network of civil society organizations campaigning and contributing to development policies aimed at universal access to water and the realization of the human right to water in Ghana.