Linea Dishena

Okahandja residents occupying unserviced municipal land in the fast-growing informal settlement of Five Rand have resorted to using wastewater from the NamWater industrial pipeline flowing into the riverbed that is adjacent to the settlement. Speaking to Nampa recently while bathing and washing their clothes in the riverbed, a group of children said although they are not sure if the water is safe for humans, it is a reliable source for their daily usage, as the community does not have enough water points.

They said there are limited communal water points in the vast informal area, and many households near the riverbed have, therefore, resorted to using the wastewater for doing their laundry, bathing and sometimes even cooking.

Namibia Water Corporation (NamWater) chief strategy officer Kadiva Hamutumwa indicated the water is untreated, and, therefore, unfit for human consumption. 

She said residents are constantly urged not to utilise the water other than for gardening purposes.

She added the pipeline was installed as a precautionary measure to transport excess water from the ponds in the event of an operational breakdown, such as when the recovery pumps fail, which has the potential to flood the entire area and damage or even break the ponds’ embankment.

A resident, who has been living in the area since 2016, Makina Mukula, said they have been requesting additional water points and electricity from the municipality. 

He stressed that water is scarce – and sometimes when people cannot afford to top up their communal water tokens, it forces them to use the riverbed water.

“We have been requesting for water for years, but nothing is forthcoming. However, the municipality has given us numbers at this point to maybe formalise us. Perhaps more water is coming soon too,” he noted.

Okahandja constituency councillor Bethuel Tjaveondja stressed in an interview with Nampa that land grabbing has put the local authority under immense pressure to ensure the provision of basic municipal services. 

The municipality is currently engaging on the matter to ensure the provision of more communal water points and electricity for Okahandja’s informal settlements, including Five Rand.

“The Okahandja population is growing rapidly daily. When council budgets for five water points in that financial period, more are needed. People are forced to wake up at 04h00 to queue for water to make sure they get water – sometimes even from many kilometres. We are engaging with the community to dig the water pipeline once the procurement of the equipment has been finalised,” he said.

- Nampa

Photo: Five Rand

Caption: 

Desperate... Residents of Five Rand have been relying on wastewater from the NamWater industrial pipeline for their daily use. 

Photo: Nampa