MARIENTAL – Namibia’s underground water resources, especially in the Orange-Fish River Basin is under constant threat due to poor waste management.
This revelation was made at a meeting between the Nama Traditional Authorities Council and the Governor of the Hardap Region at Mariental last week on Thursday.
Addressing headmen at the meeting, K. Dausab of the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry said the time has come for stricter planning and management of waste in and along the basin.
He pointed out that careful planning of future rubbish dumpsites and graveyards is imperative if the country is to preserve its water resources for future generations.
Dausab singled out the disposal of batteries and other toxic materials as the major threat to underground water resources.
“We must do careful planning with regard to dumpsites and graveyards. Graves should ideally be located away from the rivers as is the case now in most towns in southern Namibia,” said Dausab.
According to Dausab the best graveyard location in southern Namibia is currently at Berseba. Other towns may find it prudent to visit the settlement to see how best they could deal with their future planning concerning the location of graveyards.
Officially opening the meeting, Hardap Governor Katrina Hanse-Himarwa also expressed concern over the situation in the Orange-Fish River Basin saying proper management of the basin and the Fish River in general is imperative to preserve the water resource.
“We can provide jobs to our people by cleaning the Fish River of reeds and prosopis trees,” said the regional governor.
She said it is commendable that government is tirelessly making efforts to address challenges facing Namibian people in all respects, including water.
She said the government has realized the need for the provision of water to the basin community, stakeholders, consumers and other interested parties in the Hardap and //Karas regions and by so doing boost active economic development in the regions.
She said it is of great importance to mitigate the contamination of water and to reduce environmental factors, such as prosopis trees and reeds that take much of the country’s water.
She said water resources in larger towns, villages and settlements in the Orange-Fish River Basin must be monitored very closely.
She felt it is critical that all working groups and stakeholders in the Orange-Fish River Basin work hard to achieve the government’s objectives in general.
“I am calling on you to apply an integrated system of water management whereby you can create employment and at the same time address
By Hoandi !Gaeb