The facility is to help complete the original project activities that have suffered from unanticipated cost overruns and a financing gap of about US$42million; and also implement an additional lot of works that would scale-up the project’s impact in deprived areas at a cost of US$8million.

Specifically, the facility will fund outstanding works at Berekum in the Brong Ahafo and Bawku and Navrongo in the Upper East Regions, for whichtender documents already exist. The Berekum works consist of boreholes, a potable water plant to remove iron and to disinfect water, two elevated storage tanks, and water distribution pipes. The Navrongo works consist of boreholes, a booster pump station, two elevated storage tanks, and water distribution pipes. The Bawku works also consist of boreholes, a potable water plant, two elevated storage tanks, and water distribution pipes.

Additional funds will also be allocated for the expansion and improvement, in the Central Region, to the Winneba water distribution network that serves several surrounding communities, including: Apam, Ankamu, Mprumem, Mankoadze, Ankaful, Pomadze and Okyereko. The additional works will consist of the rehabilitation and extension of water distribution pipes and construction of a new elevated water tank and a booster pump station.

The World Bank in a statement noted that increasing access to improved water supply remains a priority for the government; and while significant efforts have been made over the past decade to make potable water more accessible and affordable to Ghana’s ever-growing urban centres, much more remains to be done to provide water to people -- particularly those in low-income areas who usually buy it from vendors at a very high price.

According to Ventura Bengoechea, Task Team Leader of the Urban Water Project: “The additional financing approved by the Board of the World Bank will allow the project to fully achieve and even exceed the targets that were originally contemplated with regard to people gaining access to water in selected urban areas throughout the country.”