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Many women who could not farm when they suffered from 'ona' (guinea worm) are now healthier and stronger and farming because of the clean water they can get from the new borehole. The Chairman of the Water and Sanitation Committee also suffered from guinea worm but is now engaged in large scale farming and supporting his children's education.  SHARE assignment: s090243-2 Summary: Chakun, which had the highest number of guinea-worm cases in the district is booming after World Vision drilled a borehole. Africa digital color horizontal

Water

Investment Opportunities, Industries and Sectors

Ghana is well endowed with water resources. The Lake Volta is the Earth's largest artificial lake and its system inclusive of smaller rivers cover 70% of Ghana's total land area. Groundwater is also available.

The water supply infrastructure, however, is insufficient and under developed, especially in rural areas. Major investments are needed to extend coverage as well as rehabilitate and maintain existing infrastructure. There are a lot of investment opportunities in the sector, especially in the extension of water coverage and the rehabilitation and maintenance of existing infrastructure. In addition, investments are needed for construction of physical facilities to achieve network expansion to poor areas, increased reliability of water supply to poor areas to reduce reliance on water vendors, and to provide water tanker services to consumers.

Furthermore, companies are invited to provide the following options for water supply and sanitation:

- Point Sources (boreholes/hand-dug wells)

- Small Towns Pipe Schemes

- Rain Harvest Plants

- Household/Institutional Latrines

The water supply sector has been gradually modernized through the creation of an autonomous regulatory agency, introduction of private sector participation, and decentralization of the rural supply. The reforms aim at increasing cost recovery and a modernization of the urban utility; Ghana Water Company Ltd. (GWCL), as well as of rural water supply systems.

The Ghanaian water sector is segmented into two parts, identified as the Urban Water sector and Community Water sector. The Urban Water sector comprises about 87 cities and towns where the national water utility - the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) owns and manages water supply. The Community Water sector deals with over 16,000 rural communities and some 287 small towns. Management of water supply is the responsibility of District Assemblies with facilitation and oversight role by the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA). Municipal assemblies and districts are responsible for investment, operation and maintenance of water and sanitation infrastructure within the community water sector.