2134/12529562.v1 Sam Kayaga Sam Kayaga Ebenezer Amankwaa Ebenezer Amankwaa Katherine V. Gough Katherine V. Gough Robert Wilby Robert Wilby Mercy Abarike Mercy Abarike Samuel Codjoe Samuel Codjoe Raymond Kasei Raymond Kasei Cuthbert Nabilse Cuthbert Nabilse Paul Yankson Paul Yankson Peter Mensah Peter Mensah Karim Abdullah Karim Abdullah Paula Griffiths Paula Griffiths Cities and extreme weather events: impacts of flooding and extreme heat on water and electricity services in Ghana Loughborough University 2020 Cities Extreme heat Flooding Climate change Electricity Water Low-income settlements Ghana 2020-06-23 12:59:17 Journal contribution https://repository.lboro.ac.uk/articles/journal_contribution/Cities_and_extreme_weather_events_impacts_of_flooding_and_extreme_heat_on_water_and_electricity_services_in_Ghana/12529562 Extreme weather events disproportionately affect residents of low-income urban settlements in the Global South. This paper explores the impact of extreme heat and flooding on water and electricity services in Accra and Tamale, Ghana. Interviews with water/electricity providers and water quality analysis are combined with household interviews, focus group discussions and observations conducted in eight low-income urban settlements. The findings highlight the interconnected nature of service provision during extreme weather events, with challenges in one sector reinforcing problems in another, exacerbating difficulties with access. Although households can utilise rainwater during flooding, it is highly susceptible to faecal contamination, and electricity supplies are often disconnected. During extreme heat, demand for water and electricity outstrips supply, leading to severe shortages, especially in Tamale. Water and electricity service providers should consider their interconnected nature and adopt a joined-up approach to cope with extreme weather events, which are predicted to increase with climate change