10 Jul 2013

Water as a basic resource has since the advent of human life been very central to life in planet earth.

When it is not available, or in short supply the quality of life simply declines. Infact some observers often “prophesy” that the next world war will surely be centred around issues of water.

People need water for everyday life activities including household chores, bathing, watering of plants and carrying out construction projects. It is important for every community to have sufficient clean water supply to be able to lead decent lives. But that is not the case for the small village of Toromoja situated about 15 kilometers east of Rakops in the Boteti district.

Amazingly the community of around 1200 inhabitants of Toromoja has for the past three decades lived in a village that has no water sources but rely on a truck bowser from Mopipi.

Members of the traditional leadership of the Ovambanderu tribe village, together with the community were at wits end recently when narrating their village’s long standing water supply ordeal.

The village’s leader Chief Ngauvauva Salatiele Ngauvauva II says the problem of poor water supply in Toromoja started in 1980 after water from the borehole that supplied the village at the time became salty and unsuitable for human consumption.  

“We used to have no problems of water supply as our village borehole produced good water. But things changed and we began experiencing problems when the taste of water from the borehole became too salty after the drying up of the Boteti River in 1980. Since that time we have been supplied water through bowsing by council trucks.”

The 75-year-old chief said the water they are supplied is never enough for the village and the community sometimes go a number of days without it.

“Things are tough for us and sometimes members of the community simply drink unclean water from boreholes when there is no water coming from the taps. When we took up the issue with the council and village leadership we were told that our village would be connected with the pipeline from boreholes at Setata after a treatment plant has been built. But we were not informed when that project would be complete.”

Village elder Mathias Mbaeva said their water problem is so horrible that it affects their daily lives. He said it is difficult to operate business in Toromoja because of persistent shortage of water. Mbaeva said sometimes children are forced to go to school dirty.

He said since the river started flowing again three years ago some residents have resorted to fetching water from the river for consumption. They boil it before use.

“The problem is that water which Water Utilities Corporation brings to our village’s reservoir in never sufficient for the village and usually gets finished within a few hours.”

People of Toromoja generally feel aggrieved that authorities have let them down by taking a long time to find solution to their documented water problems.

Another village elder Andries Salatiele said a borehole should be drilled in Toromoja as a permanent solution, rather that have the village supplied water through trucks. He said there is plenty of underground water around Toromoja and it make no sense for the village pipes to be persistently dry.

Pauline Kasorere, a resident pleaded with authorities to rush finding solutions to the situation, saying she fears that the health of the community could be compromised by them continuing to drink river water when treated water is in short supply.

“This issue pains us and we are losing hope of ever having good supply of water soon. Our leaders in the village have made numerous complaints but nothing has been done,” she said.

Thirty-two year-old Moreki Kelebogile who runs a small construction business said his construction projects sometimes stalls for weeks due to lack of water to build. He said this costs him business.

Water Utilities Corporation’s general manager for Letlhakane management area, Gothusang Kehuparetse said his corporation has worked hard to solve the water problem facing residents of Toromoja. He said since WUC took over reticulation of water to villages they have been transporting water to Toromoja twice every day. He admitted though that the supply has failed to meet the demand for water in the village.

“We are aware of their problem and the issue is a major concern. When we took over supply of water from the Department of Water Affairs we found that water supply in Toromoja was poor. We tried to reinstall the borehole in Toromoja but it collapsed. The way things are they do not have water sources in the village therefore we have to transport water for them from Mmadikola. It is not enough but they now have better water supply than before,” said Kehuparetse.

He said WUC is in the process of equipping a borehole in Mokobaxane so that water from that borehole could be used to augment supply for Toromoja. The project which was supposed to be completed in May but was extended because of some delays is seen as a medium term measure.

The long term project that would finally bring to end water supply problems in Toromoja, according to Kehuparetse is building of a water treatment plant in Mokobaxane. The plant would clean water from eleven boreholes in Setata and Kehuparetse said the water would be sufficient for villages in the area. ENDS