RUNDU - The majority of Rundu residents have gone for three days without water as taps run dry at the Kavango East town. 

The issue has been attributed to a technical problem at one of the pump stations in the area that supplies some of the town’s residents. A similar situation is also being experienced at Andara in the Mukwe constituency, where pumps have also been out of order for days. According to NamWater water supply area manager for Kavango East John Muremi, the water crisis at Nkarapamwe purification plant in Rundu is due to a production river scheme that is inadequate, as all three pumps are out of order and can’t pump water to a reservoir that feeds residential areas. 

Muremi said a specialised maintenance team was due to arrive in Rundu yesterday to help restore the water supply to affected areas. “The team will be in Rundu this afternoon (yesterday) and you will be kept posted of progress. 

Our water tanker went to deliver water to Andara hospital, 185km east of Rundu, where we have similar a problem.

 As soon as it is back, water will be rationed to the affected part of town,” Muremi said.  Approached for comment, Rundu Town Council spokesperson Benjamin Makayi urged residents to be patient as the water utility tries to resolve the issue. 

“With three of their pumps being out of order, it has affected many residential areas who get water through the Nkarapamwe reservoir, which caters for residential areas like Safari, Ndama, Donkerhoek, Millennium Park, Kehemu, NHE, Sunshine and Kaisosi residential areas, as well as part of the central business district (CBD),” he said.