By Obrein Simasiku
WINDHOEK – Dams supplying water to Windhoek residents continue dropping with current combined water levels standing at 32.1 percent compared to 35.8 percent during the corresponding period last year.
This development was announced in the latest weekly dam bulletin issued by NamWater.
This shows a significant decrease in the dam level of 13.9 percent two weeks after the last dam survey done on January 5, 2015, which recorded a combined volume of 46 percent.
With no hope for rain, the risk of the dams drying up remains inevitable. NamWater spokesperson, Tommi-Riva Numbala, said the bulletin does not take into account evaporation and abstraction of water.
He added water transfers from Swakoppoort Dam to Von Bach Dam have taken place as well as transfers from Otjivero main dam to Daan Viljoen Dam.
“We did not receive the required rainfall up to now, but since the rainy season is still ahead, we anticipate receiving the normal rainfall soonest that will fill up our reservoirs around the country, whereas some parts of the country have already received the rain patterns that it normally received,” Numbala assured residents.
Furthermore, he stated that each year after the rainy season NamWater assesses the water demands and volumes of the water sources of which the target is then to supply water until after the second rain season from that date
The statistics further show the level of the Swakoppoort dam at 41.1 percent full, while the level of the Von Bach has dropped from 59 percent to 39.9 percent.
Goreangab Dam is yielding sufficient results with 95.8 percent compared to 98.7 percent last year and Omatako having 2.8 percent compared to 4.5 percent last season.
Hardap Dam near Mariental recorded 51.4 percent compared to 35.7 percent with Naute Dam recording the highest with 73.4 percent compared to 53.3 percent last year during the same period, and Dreihuk Dam dropping from 1.1 percent to 0.9 percent.
City of Windhoek spokesperson, Lydia Amutenya, says the absence of sufficient inflow into the main supply dams in the current rainy season could see additional restrictions being implemented brought on by a deteriorating supply situation.
“Responsible use of this limited resource is therefore the duty of every person living in the capital to ensure continued supply in a greatly varying climate on which we depend for our drinking water,” stated Amutenya.
City of Windhoek in previous media reports has threatened to penalise residents who over-use water warning that if a household uses between 0 and 6 kilolitres (6 000 litres) per month, the tariff is N$12.30 per kilolitre while if the consumption is between 6 and 45 kilolitres per month, the rate goes up to N$20.93 per kilolitre and when it is more than 45 kilolitres per month, the rate rises to N$38.59 per kilolitre.