From bathing and cooking to washing clothes and cleaning, students living in Winneba depend heavily on a reliable water supply to carry out their daily activities in their hostels.

Frequent interruptions in water supply are disrupting essential activities such as personal hygiene, academic activities, and overall well-being, creating difficulties for residents.

According to Michael, the situation often forces students to wake up as early as 5:00 a.m. to search for water before attending lectures. As a result, some students arrive late for class, while others are compelled to miss lectures altogether.

“If lectures may start at 8:00 a.m., I need to wake up around 5:00 a.m. because water is expected to flow for only a short period. Instead of using the early morning to prepare for lectures or revise, I join others in collecting water.

“By the time I get to the hostel, there may be little time left to prepare for class. In some cases, the time and energy spent searching for water can contribute to lateness or missed lectures,” he explained.

Personal hygiene and laundry routines, including bathing, washing dishes, and cleaning rooms, have become difficult, forcing some students to travel to other locations in search of water. Others are compelled to delay washing their clothes or pay for laundry services.

The situation has also disrupted academic activities, as students who spend hours searching for water often return tired, making it difficult to concentrate on assignments, revision, and examinations.

Water shortages have also created sanitation concerns in hostels. Cleaning bathrooms, toilets, rooms, utensils, and other shared facilities becomes difficult when water is unavailable, increasing discomfort and the risk of hygiene-related illnesses.

Reliable access to water is therefore not simply about convenience. It is also important for maintaining a healthy and comfortable living environment.

The water challenges faced by some students in Winneba require attention from relevant stakeholders, including landlords, hostel managers, water providers, and local authorities.

However, individual efforts cannot resolve a challenge requiring proper infrastructure and effective water management.