25 Mar 2013

 

The only way to alleviate water shortage is through promotion of water conservation and management, Minister of Minerals Energy and Water Resources Mr Kitso Mokaila has said.

Speaking in a recent interview, he explained that promoting water conservation and management would encourage people to use water wisely.

He noted that water restrictions were also effective measures that could curb the shortage of water.

Minister Mokaila said his ministry was planning to repair leakages in water tanks and pipes as about 30 per cent of water was lost through leakages.

He also pointed out that the ministry had strategies in place to ease shortage of water in the country.

These included, among others, getting 495 million cubic metres of water from Zambezi River which would connect through Pandamatenga, Nata, and Francistown then to the southern part of the country through the North-South Water Carrier.

Furthermore, he said Botswana recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Lesotho and South Africa for a feasibility study towards sourcing water from Lesotho.

He said currently the ministry was trying to create a pipeline from Dikgatlhong Dam to Moralane to increase the volume of water so that Letsibogo and Dikgatlhong dams can supply the southern part of the country.

In addition Minister Mokaila noted that the development of the North-South Carrier II to Palapye would also increase water coming to the southern part of the country.

The minister also said the inclusion of a new pump station at Dikabea would help double the volume of water from the North-South carrier.

Currently only 60 million litres per day can be transferred through the NSC, he said.

Mr Mokaila also explained that Gaborone area was currently being supplied by Molatedi dam in South Africa.

On other issues around water, such as delays by Water Utilities Corporation to bill customers, the minister explained that his ministry was experiencing challenges moving the database from local authorities to Water Utilities Corporation system (WUC).

He noted there was a high rejection of the input and bills could not be raised as a result.

Minister Mokaila stated that while grappling with the bills’ issue,  government was continually trying to find a customer friendly system. To that end WUC will now introduce a prepaid system. ENDS