Assessing low quality water use policy framework: Case study from Ghana

• Low quality water reuse in agriculture is an effective water management practice.
• We assess Ghana's low quality water reuse policy provision.
• Institutions’ negative perceptions have undermined the policy's implementation.
• We propose an integrated framework to guide the policy's implementation.

We sought to understand the factors that have undermined the effective implementation of the low quality water reuse provision in Ghana's Irrigation Policy. Two Strategic Environmental Assessment tools (i.e. compatibility matrix and sustainability test) were used for the policy analyses. The analyses identified neither conflicts nor sustainability issues which could undermine the effective implementation of the policy in Ghana. Rather, its effective implementation was found to be the result of the lack of supportive legislation, regulations and guidelines. Furthermore, most of the institutions, which have been identified as key stakeholders for the policy implementation, not only lack the commitment to implement the policy but also perceive low quality water reuse as a practice that can endanger public health. We conclude that effective implementation of the low quality water reuse policy requires an integration of the policy into the broader water resources management context supported with legislation and regulations which spell out clearly institutional responsibilities, and rewards and punishments for compliance or otherwise.