Windhoek
Omaruru residents are facing a severe water shortage following poor rainfall experienced across the country this year.
The water crisis, which has run for six months now, has affected the whole of Omaruru, with some residents claiming they are buying water at privately owned boreholes.
According to the municipality’s finance manager Elifas Amunyela, the aquifer experienced poor water recharge, which has caused a significant drop in the water table and resulted in the municipality experiencing difficulties to cater for water demand.
“We depend on the Omaruru River aquifer which currently serves as the only water resource,” he said upon enquiry last week.
According to him, currently residents are restricted in the use of water until more rain is received.
He said the municipality has appointed an experienced consultant Namib Hydro Search to assist in searching for alternative water resources so that more boreholes can be drilled to cater for water demand in future.
“The Omaruru water shortage is receiving full attention from the municipality,” Amunyela said. Omaruru has over 8 000 residents.
The Erongo Region is one of the most drought-affected regions in the country.
Erongo Regional Governor Cleophas Mutjavikua was yesterday unavailable for comment as his phone went unanswered.
However, in his state of the region address earlier this year Mutjavikua admitted it was very late to start working out measures to deal with the emergency now.
“The situation is very tough. It is bad. To now start working out measures is very late,” Mutjavikua was quoted by the Namib Times.
He went on to say that he received a team from the office of the prime minster, which came to assess the situation. “We do not need an assessment now. We need relief measures and we need them now,” the paper quoted Mutjavikua as saying.
In addressing Namibia’s acute water shortage President Hage Geingob recently appointed a Cabinet Committee on Water Supply Security that also comprises of a Technical Committee of Experts, comprising government technocrats and experts.
Among others, the function of the committee is to review all existing proposed water supply solutions by various stakeholders, including proposals by the water ministry and the Windhoek Municipality.