16 Feb 2015

The Kubung elevated reservoir was previously manually operated and in some instances used to overflow, the Minister of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources, Mr Kitso Mokaila, has said.

“To address this, the Water Utilities Corporation relocated the over flow pipes to a low lying area which channels the water to a nearby storm water drain,” he added.

Responding to a question in Parliament from Maun West MP, Mr Tawana Moremi, the minister said further to that, in February 2014 a telemetry system was installed to monitor the tank’s levels at all times.

When the tank was filled to capacity, he said the pumps were automatically switched off ensuring that there was no overflow.

To date, the minister said, no overflow of the tank had been experienced, adding “an embankment was also constructed to protect the homesteads around the reservoir, including Setsile family should there ever be any release of water from the tank, which at this time is highly unlikely.”

Mr Moremi had asked what measures were in place to safeguard the lives and property of the Setsile family in Maun who had been flooded before by the broken Kubung Water Utilities reservoir tank.ENDS