Joseph Sam Cherbu Head of Commercial Services Safe Water Network Ghana
Head of Commercial Services, Safe Water Network, Ghana
Published on: 12/11/2024
Building universal services is a complex task. Citizens must be motivated to pay for water and become empowered consumers. This requires professional service providers to ensure safe, sustainable water and meet demand, which in turn requires investment. Joseph Sam Cherbu shares what it takes to produce and deliver water for life.
I'm originally from Ashanti region, though my education began in the Western region of Ghana, where I completed my elementary and secondary schooling. I later attended the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, earning a degree in Economics and Geography, and then a Master's in Business Administration, with a focus on Marketing.
Safe Water Network is an NGO dedicated to providing safe, accessible water to off-grid communities in Ghana. Currently, we serve over 235 communities nationwide. We work in close partnership with local governments to bridge gaps in water access, aligning with the government's mandate to supply safe water for all, particularly in underserved areas.
Initially, our approach involved building water stations with strategically placed standpipes throughout communities, allowing people to fetch water nearby. In 2020, we shifted our focus to a more accessible solution: household connections. This initiative, in collaboration with the Stone Family Foundation, expanded our impact allowing families to access water directly from their homes.
We paired this expansion with prepaid metering system, enabling mobile payments that streamline revenue collection and promote financial sustainability. To ensure continuous water availability, especially during national grid outages, we integrated solar systems to power our facilities.
Managing a water station is a significant undertaking. We prioritise quality by conducting daily water checks to maintain safe pH levels and chlorinate against bacteria. The goal is to provide safe, high-quality water for life, supported by a reliable, self-sustainable infrastructure.
Pricing water remains a delicate balance. During the Covid-19 Pandemic, the Ghanaian government mandated free water to support public health, which we complied with for nine months. However, this period of free access increased water usage and created expectations within communities, requiring substantial communication to reintroduce user fees essential for station upkeep and repairs.
As a non-profit, our pricing is not profit-driven but aims to sustain operations and maintain affordability for community members. Our pricing model considers both community purchasing power and operational needs. The Public Utility Regulatory Commission (PURC) regulates utility pricing and we strive to keep rates low enough to prevent community members from reverting to unsafe water sources.
In 2021, Safe Water Network partnered with the Asutifi North District through the ANAM initiative, funded by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, to bring water access to Kenyasi No. I, Gambia No. 2, and Wamahinso. This initiative included constructing a high capacity water station in Kenyasi No. 1, which now serves over 600 households.
This achievement, in collaboration with IRC and World Vision, has transformed daily life, by making water readily available within homes.
Seeing the joy and relief on people's faces as they access clean water in their homes for the first time is profoundly fulfilling. Safe Water Network's mission not only eases the daily burden of water collection, but also empowers these communities. For me, contributing to such a life-changing programme is incredibly rewarding.
Safe Water Network is one of the grantees supported by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, under the Safe Water Initiative. This initiative focuses on systems strengthening and service delivery to ensure reliable and safely managed water to one million people in low-income households, health facilities and schools in Ethiopia, Ghana and Uganda.
As part of its five-year strategic plan, Conrad N. Hilton commissioned a review of its investments and approaches in the target geographies. The primary aim of the review was to investigate the relevance, effectiveness and sustainability of different Service Delivery Models (SDM), including community-based safe water management, publicly owned water utilities and private-sector approaches such as Safe Water Enterprises (SWE).
In 2023, as part of the review, IRC produced on behalf of Aguaconsult Ltd and for the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation the film 'In service to everyone'. For this film, IRC's Dechan Dalrymple and Abubakari Wumbei, interviewed Joseph Sam Cherbu in August. This article is an adaptation and summarised version of the full interview.