Reforms

Reforms at CWSA

Context and Rationale

The context and rationale for the reform programme is encapsulated in the numerous research findings which point to the inherent weaknesses in community management of water systems and its threat to sustainability. Baumann, 2006; Van den Broek and Brown, (2015) posited that in spite of the achievements in water services delivery, there is growing consensus that the approach needs to be overhauled. Moriarty et al., (2013) explicitly agreed with a generally held belief that community management is ‘at the beginning of the end’…not principally because community management has failed, but because it is reaching the limits of what can be realistically achieved in an approach based on informality and voluntarism’.

The above aside, SDG 6 requires that all households in Ghana have access to safe and on-the-premise water by 2030, making the requirements of the SDGs more stringent than that the MDGs

In order to achieve this objective, the CWSA in 2017 after extensive research and stakeholder engagements took a bold step to embark on reforms to transform its operations for the sustainability of safe water delivery in the rural water sub-sector.

Compelling Reasons for the Reforms
Expected Outcome
Vision and Mission
Objectives of the Reform
Achievements so far
Impact so far

Compelling Reasons for the Reforms

There is a water management knowledge gap at the district and community levels. Water provision, operation and maintenance is technical and involves the application of resources. Therefore, there is need to deploy qualified professionals.
Many of the water systems cannot provide uninterrupted service to communities as a result of frequent breakdowns.
Water quality of most systems is not monitored, on a wrong assumption that groundwater which is the most used water source has a constant quality. Even when water quality tests are carried out, its interpretation is difficult for the districts and communities.
Most water systems are designed over a ten (10) year life and beyond this period, the systems are not expanded to respond to population growth and development of communities.
Non-revenue water OR Unaccounted for water OR Water Losses are very high. An effort is required to reduce this to the desired 10% maximum.
The cost of rural water keeps increasing across communities, even much higher than prescribed by the Public Utility Regulatory Commission (PURC), as a result of several unresolved difficulties.
Ghana’s attainment of lower-middle-income status has led to a decline in grants/credit to the sub-sector.
Financing for post-construction operation and maintenance is inadequate to guarantee regular follow-ups, repairs and maintenance.
Continuous cycle of breakdown and rehabilitation with resources that should have been used to provide water systems to ‘first-time’ beneficiaries.

Under the reform, CWSA will take the necessary steps to transform the sector, make improvements in water delivery services in all communities and create jobs. The reform also seeks to expand the mandate of CWSA to include the management of Piped Water Systems whilst maintaining the role of providing and managing point source water systems. As a result, the Community Ownership and Management model has been modified from the use of non-professionals to manage water systems to the engagement water systems management professionals. As part of the reform programme, revenue generated from the piped water supply systems will be used to support the operation and management of point water systems as well as sanitation and hygiene promotion.

Expected Outcome

Transform the Rural WASH sector, sustain water systems and create jobs.

Mobilize internal resources from piped water supply systems to sustain and modernize existing water systems and construct new ones
Restructure CWSA to respond to new innovations in the water industry.
Modify Act 564 and convert CWSA into a utility organization to be responsible for rural water management
Establish a training and innovation center to support research, development and capacity building to sustain subsector operations.

Vision and Mission

Vision

CWSA aspires to be the leading Public Sector Rural Water Service Delivery Organisation in Africa.

For CWSA to attain the above vision, its operations will be guided by the following:

CWSA as a professional organisation with values, cultures and ethics reminiscent of a world-class utility organisation.
CWSA managing small towns piped systems with creativity and technological innovation using market-based approaches whilst efficiently facilitating, in collaboration with the MMDAs, the delivery of rural water supplies;
CWSA as a focal point for learning and the translation of this learning into new strategies, practices, tools and standards to enhance the sustainability of water and sanitation services;
CWSA as the focal point for providing information, advice and policy guidelines on water and sanitation services.
CWSA establishing clear procedures to maximise the commitment and abilities of its team of professional staff to produce work of a high standard of quality;
CWSA adopting strategies that are responsive to achieving national targets for safe water delivery, sanitation and hygiene promotion.
CWSA mobilising adequate funding from the Government of Ghana, donors and communities for WASH programmes and developing the necessary cost recovery mechanisms to ensure sustainability; and
CWSA as an autonomous organisation operating effectively, efficiently and transparently.

MISSION

CWSA is committed to efficient delivery of safe and sustainable water, sanitation and hygiene services to rural communities and small towns in Ghana.

Objectives of the Reform

The ultimate objective of the policy reforms is to transform CWSA into a Utility Organization, having direct responsibility for the provision and management of small towns piped water supply systems whilst providing point water systems (boreholes fitted with hand pumps), in collaboration with the MMDAs. This is to ensure the delivery of quality, reliable and affordable water services to rural communities and small towns on a sustainable basis.

The specific objectives of the reforms are as follows:

Professionalize the operation and management of piped water systems.
Improve on the operational efficiency of water systems.
Mobilize revenue from water system management for maintenance, expansion and construction of new facilities.
Increase water access towards meeting Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6.
Create decent jobs for unemployed water management professionals.
Apply appropriate technology to reduce non-revenue water.
Adopt state-of-the-art technology to address water quality challenges.
Create a support mechanism for sustained operation and maintenance of point water systems
Improve access to Sanitation and Hygiene Services to maximize health benefits.

Achievements so far

CWSA is managing 125 piped water systems

Water safety plans have been developed for 90 water systems. Ghana can now provide data to WHO as part of its obligations towards achievements of SDG 6

834 professional staff (Water Systems Management Staff) have been employed from August 2017 to date. These include engineers, technician engineers, accountants, water safety specialist, revenue collectors and community relations officer. In addition, 269 auxiliary staff made up of plumbers, technical operators etc. have been employed.

Four hundred and four (404) Mechanical Bulk Water Meters have been procured, supplied and installed on piped water systems under CWSA management.

Six thousand, Nine Hundred (6,900) Mechanical Service Water Meters have been procured, supplied and installed on piped water systems under CWSA management.
Procurement of Ten Thousand (10,000) Mechanical Service Water Meters is on-going