16 Oct 2019

The Minister of Land Management, Water and Sanitation, Mr Kefentse Mzwinila has commissioned the North South Carrier 1 (NSC 1) pump station 4.1.

Built along the NSC pipeline, between the Tropic of Capricorn and Mookane, the facility is an initiative to increase water to the Greater Gaborone areas from the NSC 1 scheme.

Speaking during the commissioning and handing over of the plant to Water Utilities Corporation on Tuesday, Minister Mzwinila said construction of the station commenced October 2016 and was completed last year.

The project that cost P45.6 million was awarded to CCC contract which Minister Mzwinila said delivered before scheduled time.

He said plans were in place to improve the level of water provision in the greater Gaborone area, which covered villages from Kgatleng District through to parts of the Southern District.

Mr Mzwinila said plans included completion of the North South Carrier 2 pipeline, which would sufficiently increase the volumes of water transported from the North to the South of the country.

The Minister explained that the ministry was working on several projects aimed at restoring satisfactory water provision, acting on President, Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi’s instruction to ensure availability potable water.

He said Botswana had been experiencing water shortage for several years now, a situation worsened by unreliable rainfall.

Minister Mzwinila was however positive that the ministry would overcome.

He said while the problem of poor rains might persist for some time, the nation should change the way it used water in order to avert crisis.

Minister Mzwinila stated that other projects the ministry was working on included the re-connection of wells at Masama East which could produce millions of litres of water per day.

He said works were being done on other pump stations along the NSC 1 pipeline, which would also help to improve water supply situation.

Mr Mzwinila appealed to the nation to preserve water because water sources were getting depleted. ENDS