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