Ghana Presentation

Water in developing countries: Ghana

By: Jo Pearce

Overview

- Country in West Africa- Average Temp. is 30 C year round - Population is 32.83 million

Water problems

- 76% of households are at risk of drinking water that is contaminated with fecal matter - Only 4% of households in Ghana treat water before drinking - Ghana citizens living in poverty are more likely to spend over 30 minutes collecting water per day, than wealthier citizens

Main source of water

Ghana has 3 basins that travel through the Gulf of Guinea. This provides the majority of Ghana’s renewable surface water. The most rainfall is found in the southwest, while northern Ghana is drier.

bringing water home

The traditional place for citizens in rural Ghana to get their water from are small ponds and unprotected wells. They tend to use large bowls, or buckets to bring water back to their home.

Water Quality

Water quality: Groundwater quality is generally good, while gold mining belts are contaminated by heavy metals.

Efforts to improve

- Safe Water Network has been helping Ghana’s water crisis since 2009. SWN works with communities, government agencies, development partners, and other stakeholders to develop and replicate sustainable solutions to the supply of safe water. - In 2015, Ghana developed a National Drinking Water Quality Management Framework (NDWQMF) which reduced contamination and other water supply risks.

Citations

Unicef. “Water.” Related UNICEF Sites, 2023, www.unicef.org/ghana/water#:~:text=Seventy%20six%20per%20cent%20of,not%20treat%20water%20at%20all Winrock. “Ghana Country Profile.” BBC News, BBC, 14 Apr. 2023, www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-13433790.

Thank you!