Windhoek
In an attempt to arrest the water crisis currently being experienced particularly in the central areas of the country, Cabinet has set up a treasury committee that will look into best practices for mobilising financial resources to tap water from underground aquifers.
Agriculture minister John Mutorwa made the announcement yesterday when he updated the public on the water situation in the country.
The committee was set up following a recent presentation on the issue to President Hage Geingob. Hydrologists have been warning that without significant water inflows into dams Namibia could face dire consequences over the next few months.
“The issue of supplying the available water in particular to the central areas has been preoccupying our minds together with NamWater and the City of Windhoek,” Mutorwa said.
“We had hoped the rain would be much better. But it has not been better, particularly with the inflow of water into dams. With the persistent drought we don’t have enough underground water due to a lack of rain.”
The treasury committee will be responsible for mobilisation of resources, Mutorwa said.
Tapping water from Kombat is among government’s priorities.
“We need to drill more boreholes to get water out of the ground from Kombat to the people. We are not dramatising things. It is not business as usual. If the heavens will open then we will reach the next season,” a hopeful Mutorwa noted.
The Omatako, Von Bach and Swakoppoort dams which supply the central areas with water mainly get inflows from rivers in catchment areas.
Underground water is also pumped from Kombat mine and Berg Aukas and carried through the eastern water carrier into Omatako Dam, then pumped into Von Bach Dam and water reservoirs that supply Windhoek and the surrounding areas.
Mutorwa stated that desalination of seawater is also deemed a long-term solution as outlined in the Harambee Prosperity Plan, through the use of renewable energy and wind.
Although the biggest impediment to desalination is the cost involved to treat seawater, he is optimistic that government will construct a desalination plant.
Another bankable option is the drawing of water from a permanent reliable source – in this case the nearest permanent water source is the Kavango River, explained Mutorwa.
The Kavango River is situated 260km away from the eastern water carrier. Since the river is a shared resource between Namibia, Angola and Botswana – Mutorwa said an agreement between the three countries would be needed.
Even though the Windhoek Municipality has admitted being financially challenged, it intends to upgrade the Gammams waste water treatment plant and build an additional reclamation plant. Windhoek itself currently has 48 boreholes, while nine more boreholes would be drilled to utilise the underground aquifer.
NamWater also plans to recycle and treat water from Von Bach as well as treat the polluted water of Swakoppoort Dam.