Ghana Water Limited (GWL) has assured the public that water supplied directly through household taps is safe for drinking, provided it meets the required quality standards.
The company’s Communications Manager, Stanley Martey, explained that water flowing directly from the tap is generally fresh and, under normal conditions, less than 24 hours old.
“When water is flowing directly from your tap and not from a tank, it means it is fresh and less than 24 hours old,” he stated.
Mr Martey disclosed that he personally sells tap water at his residence and drinks it directly from the tap, expressing confidence in the quality of water supplied by the company.
According to him, GWL ensures that its water meets the necessary national and international requirements for safe drinking water, including standards established by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
“Our water in Ghana meets international standards. Ghana Water has its standards, and globally the WHO also has standards for drinking water. Even if you do not meet every other standard, you must at least meet the standard for drinking water,” he said.
He added that GWL, as a company working towards becoming a world-class water utility provider, has established quality benchmarks that exceed those set by the Ghana Standards Authority.
Mr Martey maintained that water supplied directly through the company’s distribution system is safe for consumption when it meets the required standards.
“If water is coming directly from the tap, there is no problem with it,” he added.
He further explained that the company operates a quality assurance team responsible for routinely monitoring water quality and ensuring that any potential contamination is addressed.
According to him, the team conducts regular checks and introduces additional treatment chemicals when necessary to eliminate contaminants that may affect the water during distribution.
“We have a quality assurance team that moves around to check the quality of the water so that we can introduce more chemicals to treat any exogenous materials in it. So Ghanaians should be rest assured,” he stated.
Mr Martey emphasised that the company prioritises public health and will not allow water that fails to meet the required drinking-water standards to be supplied for consumption.
“If the water does not meet the required standards for drinking water, we shut down,” he stressed.
Note: Although GWL has given this assurance, the safety of tap water at a particular household can also depend on the condition of its plumbing, storage tanks and distribution pipes.
By: Prince Martey-Sogar.