The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has announced that beginning Wednesday, 1 July 2020, the payment of water bills will be “the responsibility of the customer.”

This follows the end of the government’s directive to the GWCL to provide Ghanaians with free water as part of measures to curb the rapid spread of the deadly COVID-19.

President Akufo-Addo, as part of measures to ease the effect of the pandemic on the pockets of Ghanaians, announced the reduction in electricity tariff and the provision of free water to Ghanaians for three months.

The GWCL, in a statement on Monday, 29 June 2020, revealed that the free provision of water to homes and institutions will officially end on Tuesday, 30 June 2020.

“Customers of GWCL must please note that hence, the payment of water bills will be the responsibility of the customer,” the statement informed the general public on behalf of the Minister of Works and Sanitation.

The GWCL, however, assured the “customers that meter readers, and all frontline staff, will continue to adhere to and practise in full, all the protocols to protect themselves and our cherished customers, including cladding themselves in full GWCL apparel, identity cards, personal sanitisers and face masks, before accessing their premises to read the meters.”

The statement further noted: “Landlords and landladies can revert to the arrangements with tenants prior to the free water delivery, water vendors can/must resume their normal business after the last meter readings in June 2020 and disconnected customers who were reconnected to enable them to enjoy the free water during the period, must, as a matter of urgency, pay their arrears to remain connected.”

Also, “disconnected customers will remain disconnected until their arrears are settled in full before their supply will be reinstated, all GWCL collection/pay points are opened during normal working hours and customers can also pay their bills via mobile money channels with all the telecommunications networks.”

GWCL also expressed its appreciation to “all agencies who supported the free water delivery and to the government for the kind gesture towards Ghanaians.”