28 Nov 2019

The Minister of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services says he is aware of acute water shortages in Maun which began in April 2019.

Answering a question in Parliament, Minister Kefentse Mzwinila said the water shortage was a result of the drying up of the Thamalakane River and subsequent shut down of the Borolong surface water treatment plant.

Minister Mzwinila, however, said he was of the view that the water situation does not warrant to be declared a national crisis in terms of Section 17.1 of the constitution of Botswana.

He said the daily water demand for Maun community and nearby villages of Matlapana, Sexaxa, Matsaudi and Boro was 14 715 litres per day, which the current water supply at 8 387 litres per day, could not meet.

He said in the short term, the ministry through the Department of Water and Sanitation and Water Utilities Corporation had embarked on a rehabilitation exercise of additional 11 boreholes to address the current water shortages.

Minister Mzwinila said the rehabilitation exercise began in June 2019 and to date, 10 boreholes had been successfully cleaned.

“Out of these 10 boreholes only two boreholes were successfully pump tested and passed water quality tests with a combined yield of 621 000 litres per day,’ he said.

He explained that two boreholes had been installed and connected to the supply scheme, while the remaining eight cleaned boreholes were awaiting pump testing.

Pump testing of the remaining boreholes commenced on November 21 and was expected to be completed on December 15.

The delay in test pumping of the remaining boreholes, and cleaning of the remaining one, he said was attributed to the breakdown of both the cleaning and test pumping rigs in July and August.

Minister Mzwinila said the test pumping rig was currently back in operation, adding that the cleaning of the eleventh borehole would be completed on December 13.

He said his ministry through Water Utilities Corporations was undertaking scheduled rationing to equitably distribute water across the village.

Furthermore, he said browsing was done to critical institutions such as schools, clinic, prison and a total of seven strategic points served with 10 cubic metres plastic tank.  He said his ministry was in a process of procuring 30 new bowsers with delivery expected by June next year, adding that six would be allocated to Maun as medium-term mitigation.

He also said Water Utilities Corporations was in the process of electrifying three boreholes at Kunyere wellfield to improve operational efficiency resulting in improved output from 3.2 million litres to 4.1 million litres per day.

“The initiative will improve supply by 897 000 litres per day and the expected time to complete electrifying of the borehole is the end of March,” he said.

Furthermore, he said his ministry had recently commenced the P2.65 billion implementation of the Maun Phase II contracts to adequately meet water demand on a long term basis.  Maun East MP, Mr Goretetse Kekgonegile, had asked the minister if he was aware of acute water shortages in Maun, greater Maun villages and the dehumanising effect of water shortage in the area and to state the amount in litres needed by the Maun community on a daily basis, whether the current supply meets the demand, if not, what was the discrepancy. He also wanted the minister to explain the mitigating factors to avail water to the Maun community in the short and long term, if the current national water situation can be declared a public emergency or national crisis in terms of Section 17 (1) of the Constitution of Botswana. ENDS