16 Mar 2016

Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) has announced new waste tariffs and the discontinuation of septic tanks and pit latrine services in SHHA areas in Francistown. 

The briefing was graced by Francistown City mayor, Ms Sylvia Muzila on Tuesday.

Speaking during  the briefing at Adansonia Hotel, WUC communications manager, Ms Matida Mmipi said the mandate of the corporation was to provide water to cities, towns and villages on serviced land by the Ministry of Lands and Housing. 

Despite the mandate, she said the country faces a challenge in water resource management as there was indication of climate change, and that the prevailing low rainfalls in some parts of the country have put a constraint in fulfilling the mandate as some dams such as Gaborone Dam levels have been low for pumping.

She said WUC remains mandated to improve water services delivery in the city and its surrounding areas. 

She advised  Francistown councillors to urge their communities to keep up with the development of the city looking ahead of the city’s Vision 2022 of a cleaner Francistown. 

The initiative of abolishing pit latrines began when WUC took over the emptying of septic tanks and pit latrines in 2013.

Ms Mmipi said Francistown was sufficiently serviced with sewerage networks which were being underutilised with many people resorting to pit latrines and septic tanks on serviced land. She noted  that it was expensive for the corporation to operate the services of emptying septic tanks and pit latrines on serviced land. She said from April 1, the corporation would no longer offer the services in serviced areas within the city, adding that the service would be offered only on un-serviced pockets of the city.

“The discontinuation of septic tanks and pit latrines will reduce waterborne diseases in areas around pit latrines and septic tanks eliminate pollution of underground water resources and reduce costs for the corporation,” she said.

She said kgotla meetings have been held in Gerald Estates, Monarch and Phase V to consult public on the initiative that the corporation has decided to undergo. She urged  all stakeholders, public and the community leadership to help in ensuring that the sewer system was managed and used accordingly.

For her part, Ms Muzila urged fellow councillors to engage with the public to help push the policy for a cleaner Francistown, and to protect children and the community from hazardous areas such as pit latrines and septic tanks pose on the environment.

She implored the public to take advantage of SHHA home improvement services which were not being utilised. The services provide loans that could  be paid upon an agreed amount, and build appropriate water-system toilets in homes, she said.

Ms Muzila pleaded with Francistown residents to be cooperative as WUC has noted some operation challenges that could  only be overcome through cooperation with stakeholders. 

Some of the operational challenges identified were vandalism, illegal connections and the overwhelmed waterworks system caused by the city expansion such as the Francistown International Airport and the Francistown Sports Complex. Ends