Maria David
OLUSHANDJA – The Etaka Dam in the Omusati region has been a place of leisure for the local people.
During noon and afternoon hours, people are found either bathing, fishing or simply walking near the NamWater dam that stretches 14 kilometres from north to south.
Even though the primary purpose of the dam is to feed NamWater’s purification plants at Ogongo and Oshakati, it is equally of great benefit to livestock farmers and local horticulturalists.
Most local people prefer to do their laundry at the dam.
That was the case with Omakuva village resident Munomo Momuti (38) and her siblings. They waited the whole month for their dirty clothes and blankets to pile up before tying them up in bundles and then departing to the dam to do laundry.
Last week Wednesday was their D-day for doing laundry.
It was cold and they sat in the sun, waiting for the cold weather to subside before they could fetch water in their basins and start washing.
The young ones were seen from a distance running around the dam, waiting on Momuti to direct them to what to do next.
Momuti told Nampa they all have responsibilities to carry out whilst cleaning their belongings in order to finish on time.
“The tap water that we collect is used for human consumption,” she said.
What is fascinating is how the blankets are washed. They are placed on the grass and the little ones use a thick bar of soap to rub it all over before pouring water on it.
“We have to ensure that our laundry is completed before the end of the day, as we might never get a chance to come back again,” she said.
Before heading back home, they make sure to take a bath too.
NamWater has been pumping water into the Calueque-Oshakati canal continuously feeding the Etaka Dam.
NamWater CEO Abraham Nehemiah indicated that they are going to install pumps to ensure that water is pumped from Etaka to Uuvudhiya.
“We are only waiting on a power cable that is missing; it was stolen by the community, but it has been ordered,” he said.
Nehemiah said as soon as the cable is here, they will be connected to the pump station and water is then pumped into the Etaka earth canal.
– Nampa