UTUSEB – Government will partner with the Chinese-owned Swakop Uranium mine to construct the second desalination plant at the coast.
Construction of the plant is expected to start next year. Agriculture minister Calle Schlettwein revealed this on Friday during the launch of NamWater’s groundbreaking of the 10km section Kuiseb collector 2 Schwarzekuppe-Swakopmund pipeline project in Utuseb.
Government, through NamWater, will partner with Swakop Uranium to construct the second desalination plant, which is poised to be a game-changer not only for the country, but also for the drought-stricken Erongo region, which is constantly grappling with water shortages.
Plans for the second desalination plant have been in the pipeline after the government opted not to buy the Orano desalination plant at Wlotzkasbaken in 2016 due to its cost.
The plant at that time was offered to the government for N$3 billion by Areva Resources, on the basis that such a utility cannot be privately-owned. The desalination plant supplies close to 50% of fresh water to the region’s consumption as well as several mines, including Rössing Uranium.
However, the Chinese-owned Swakop Uranium mine near Arandis proposed a joint venture with the government to build the second seawater desalination plant.
Over the past 10 years, the mining industry in the Erongo region has been complaining about operation disruptions due to a shortage of water as well as sulfuric eruptions in the ocean.
Schlettwein on Friday, said the joint venture will see the construction of a 20 million cubic metre desalination plant.
“NamWater shall develop a second modular plant with at least a capacity of 20 million cubic metres, in cooperation with Husab mine, which is still upgradable by adding additional modules as the need arises,” the minister indicated.
He further explained that the feasibility studies and financing options have been concluded, and the project is envisaged to be constructed in 2025. “The challenges we face in ensuring reliable water supply are compounded by a growing economy and a growing population. Our population has grown to over 3.3 million, and is growing around 4%. The fishing and mining sectors have also grown over the years and all these factors are good, but they need to be supplied with the water they need as a key enabler for development,” the minister said.
Last year, while proposing the collaboration, Husab executive vice president Irvinne Simataa said they find themselves having to make decisions, around people and industries, to the point where industry has to decide to shut down businesses during the sulfuric eruptions.
In 2022, they lost 39 days of productive time because of the unavailability of water. He also indicated that Swakop Uranium during that time accounted for 65 % to 70% of the water demand in the region, and that this was a motivation to partner with the government.
“Given the impact we have on business, we have gone to the extent of presenting an unsolicited offer wherein we are saying that we are willing to make an investment. We would want it fast-tracked to mitigate our business risk.
However, we do not have the intention
to operate the desalination plant. We are in the business of mining, and we intend to mitigate our risk,” Simataa said last year. The cost of the second desalination plant is not yet indicated, but the project’s feasibility study, which was discussed already, indicated that it could cost in excess of N$3.5 billion.