10 Oct 2018

Ministry of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services intends to establish a water regulatory authority that will be responsible for configuration of water institutions in the country.

Permanent secretary in the Ministry Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services, Mr Thatayaone Dedede told the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Monday that a task team had already been put in place to facilitate the establishment of the regulatory authority.

Mr Dedede said the regulatory authority was important as it would be responsible for regulating the sector of water supply and other activities that include wastewater disposal and treatment plants.

Mr Dedede further revealed that Botswana had a Water Policy, which was approved by Parliament that aims to improve facilitation of water access to suitable quality standards and that some components of the policy were already implemented such as the review of water related legislation and strategies as well as the establishment of an independent water regulator.

The committee also learnt that the ministry intended to intensify water resource management through implementation of smart management approach and implementation of water management decision support system.

To this end, Mr Dedede submitted that the ministry had embarked on a four-year (2017-2021) Botswana Emergency Water Security and Efficiency project with funding from the World Bank whose objectives are to improve availability of water supply and efficiency in drought-prone areas.

The project will also improve wastewater and sludge management, sector reforms and institutional strengthening.

On other issues, PAC learnt that the ministry was working to improve land servicing around the country, although there were constraints of budget. Ends