Permanent water supply for Olushandja Dam

Permanent water supply for Olushandja Dam

ETAKA – Namibia Water Corporation CEO Abraham Nehemia says the utility has installed soon-to-be commissioned water pumps at Calueque Dam to permanently keep Olushandja Dam filled.

He made the remarks during the opening of the Etaka-Uuvudhiya earth canal, which stretches more than 130 kilometres at the Olushandja Dam south wall pump station, in the Omusati region yesterday.

The primary purpose of Etaka Dam in the Omusati region is to feed NamWater purification plants at Ogongo and Oshakati.

It is equally of great benefit to livestock farmers and local horticulturalists.

During mid-morning and afternoon hours, people can be found either bathing, fishing, or simply walking near the NamWater dam that stretches 14 kilometres from north to south.

“The Office of the Prime Minister, through the Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Land Rreform, has allocated N$3.9 million to ensure the completion of the project,” said Nehemia.

He said NamWater, with the full support of the government, embarked on a mission to restore the canal to enable the utility to keep taps in the northern part of the country running.

He advised that the raw water is only fit for livestock and agriculture purposes, and the exercise was done due to a previous and recurrent drought in the northern part of the country.

“Households are expected to utilise the water for their daily needs, especially gardening for nutritional purposes, but to drill boreholes,” he said.

He expressed confidence the water will be available in the dam to supply the canal until the rainy season.

Nehemia added that NamWater is strategically looking into the rehabilitation of most of its infrastructure to ensure sustainable water supply.

Speaking during the same occasion, Omusati governor Erginus Endjala said for the past five years, the region did not really receive sufficient rainfall, which has affected many people living along the west side of the canal, including the Oshana and Oshikoto regions.

He said the fact that water is now flowing in the canal is a game-changer.

He urged community members to guard against the vandalism of the dam and not destroy the earth canal to prevent the water from reaching its destination.

Uuvudhiya councillor Timoteus Shivute, said this year’s drought is not the same as 2019 and farmers must be grateful for what NamWater has been doing, “pumping water to save their thirsty cattle.”

Food security

Uukwaluudhi Traditional Authority senior traditional leader Malakia Shoombe appealed to the ministry of agriculture to ensure that the dam does not run dry.

He said they are proud and lucky to have a water source close to people for livestock and food production purposes.

“We are blessed with a canal that never runs dry, despite water coming from Angola, and it needs protecting at all costs,” he said.

Simon Shikulo, a livestock farmer in Uuvudhiya, was also happy.

“Our cattle have been depending on water pipes, which is costly. We thank NamWater for this development; hopefully the water will reach here before December,” Shikulo added. 

The water is expected to reach Uuvudhiya by October. 

-vkaapanda@nepc.com.na