25 Feb 2019

Ministry of Land management, Water and Sanitation Services is aware of the poor state of sanitation affecting Lobatse, which is mainly attributed to aged and dilapidated wastewater infrastructure.

Responding to a question in Parliament, Assistant Minister Mr Itumeleng Moipisi nevertheless said the ministry had short and medium to long term mitigation measures in place. 

He said short or immediate term solutions (up to 6 months)  included response to pipe breakages and leakages and where necessary pipes were replaced. 

He added that there were no plans nor a budget to replace the old and dilapidated pipe network as a short term plan. 

Mr Moipisi said in the meantime Water Utilities Corporation would continue with maintenance of the existing network until such a time that a feasibility study for Lobatse Wastewater Master Plan was completed. 

As a long term solution, a feasibility study for Lobatse Wastewater Plan, which aimed at determining the medium term remedial works and the long term measures up to 2035, was funded under World Bank Group Component 2 of the Botswana Emergency Water Security and Efficiency Project, he said. 

Furthermore he said an expression of interest evaluation report was submitted to World Bank on November 6, 2018 for their approval, adding that the feasibility study was expected to take nine months after award of the tender and the study was expected to be completed by January 2020. 

The Member of Parliament for Lobatse Mr Sadique Kebonang had asked if the minister was aware of the poor state of sanitation affecting the whole of Lobatse due to old, burst and rotten pipes that had not been changed or replaced. ENDS