Sustainability of Rural Water Supply Systems: A Case Study of Kwamekrom Water System in the Volta Region of Ghana

Abstract

This paper review and analyze the sustainability of rural water systems facilitated by Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA) in Ghana in both their capacity to continue to deliver adequate, safe and quality water for all the people of Kwamekrom township and surrounding villages. The paper focus on a case study of the sustainability of small-town piped water systems; the main used technology in rural areas of the Volta Region in Ghana. Part of the project was the implementation of infrastructure and building capacities in the community to manage and use their system after project completion. A recent development is that CWSA is shifting from community ownership and management (COM) towards participation in management, a shift that is expected to ensure the sustainability of the water systems. The study aimed to analyze the viability of the Kwamekrom water supply system in the Volta Region of Ghana, which was under the COM system utilizing a survey mechanism. The study revealed based on performance indexes indicated that the Kwamekrom water system was not sustainable under the COM. The result was mainly due to poor financial management and lack of adequate technical expertise coupled with socio-political impact under the COM. The new reform towards participation in the management of rural water supply is, therefore, an approach which could lead to sustainability.