Eveline de Klerk
SWAKOPMUND – Erongo Governor Cleophas Mutjavikua said a second desalination plant is in the pipeline for the region, with the assistance of private investors from Israel.
He said plans are at an advance stage to set up the plant in Swakopmund in due course. Private Israeli investors are also keen in assisting Namibia to set up a green scheme project in the desert.
Erongo is home to another desalination plant, owned by French company Areva.
Mutjavikua revealed this during his State of the Region Address on Tuesday, attended by residents, councillors and both public and private officials.
The governor indicated that the council is currently in consultations with the investors to set up a desert irrigation plant that will also ensure food security and at the same time solve Erongo’s water woes.
According to Mutjavikua, consultations for the project are done through the Office of the President, to realise a speedy implementation of the ambitious yet costly project. The cost of the project was not revealed.
“If everything goes according to plan we will set up the second desalination plant also at Wlotzkasbaken and create an agricultural belt that will carry water from there to Omaruru. Omaruru has been identified as the central area for crop production in Erongo,” he said.
He added several agricultural stations would also be created along the belt at rural settlements such as Omatjete and Otjimbingwe.
According to Mutjavikua, Erongo have been experiencing challenges in terms of the availability of sufficient water and hampered the successful implementation of projects aimed at sustainability and food security.
He says such projects never materialised due to water constraints, as boreholes drilled could also not deliver water.
“As you know we wanted to set up a Date and Olive project in Okombahe and Otjimbingwe but could not find water despite drilling so many boreholes. Hence, we turn our focus to the ocean and the desert to ensure food security by setting up another desalination plant,” Mutjavikua said.
He added that the investors are keen to invest and assist
Namibia.
“Our investors are keen to assist Namibia, as they did in South Africa. We will make sure that this does not remain a dream but becomes a reality.”