27 Feb 2019

 Ministry of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services through Water Utilities Corporation has decided to build a treatment plant at Mmatshumo to improve water quality.

Answering a question from MP for Boteti East Mr Sethomo Lelatisitswe on February 26, Assistant Minister of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services Mr Itumeleng Moipisi said the project was currently at preparation of tender documentation stage while construction was planned to be completed in December.

Moreover, the assistant minister noted that the ministry once briefed the house that Mmatshumo water was minimally saline as compared to that of other areas that were prioritised during budget provision for construction of treatment plants.

Mr Moipisi said they were no plans to connect Mmatshumo to the treatment plant that would be built at Nthane farms through the World Bank loan.

Nonetheless, he noted that the estimated cost for connecting the village would be about P70 million, which was outside the scope of the World Bank projects.

Again, he said the distance between Mmatshumo and the treatment plant site was approximately 55km.

Furthermore, he noted that ‘the borehole around Nthane area does not have capacity to supply Mmatshumo, Mokubilo, Mosu, Makgaba and Mmea villages, as it yields 10 cubic metres per hour, giving a total yield of 160m per day against the combined demand of 668m per day for these villages.’

Mr Moipisi said Mokubilo, Mosu and Mmea villages were currently supplied by borehole BH1419 at Nthane while BH6590 at Mosu augments supply to the same village.

Mr Moipisi further said there were no plans to connect Mmatshumo to the treatment plant that would be built at Nthane farms.

“To address the salinity of water at Mmatshumo, a packaged treatment plant has been planned for construction in Mmatshumo during the financial year 20192020. 

The project is at scoping and preparation of terms of reference stage. 

The estimated cost of the plant is approximately P10 million,” he said.

MP Lelatisitswe had asked the minister to apprise Parliament on the water status in Mmatshumo and if he was aware that it was once confirmed by the ministry that water at the said village was not safe for the elderly, sickly and infants.

If so, he wanted to know how much would it cost government to connect Mmatshumo to the treatment plant that would be built at Nthane farms through the World Bank loan.

He also wanted to know if the borehole around Nthane area had the capacity to supply Mmatshumo, Mosu, Mokubilo, Makgaba and Mmea villages. ENDS