27 Jan 2020

The Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism, in partnership with Kavango Zambezi Trans Frontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA) recently launched automated water quality monitoring equipment for the Okavango and Chobe rivers.

Speaking during the launch, the portfolio minister, Ms Phildah Kereng, said the project was essential for conserving and sustaining ecosystem integrity in wetland resources.

Wetland resources, she said, functioned as natural water storage and discharge areas and were valuable for the sustenance of numerous and diverse wildlife and plant species.

Ms Kereng said the objective was to monitor any changes in the chemical and biological constituents as indicators of water quality.
 

“This is an automated system, which provides real time data to enable quick decision making to protect these sensitive ecosystems from any human induced and non-point sources of pollution,” said the minister.

She pleaded with communities in the area and river users to take care of the gadgets as they were essential for maintaining the river systems.

For her part, Department of Waste Management and Pollution Control director, Ms Oarabile Serumola, explained that the equipment was installed to monitor the rivers because water quality needed to be assessed continuously to detect the earliest opportunity of contamination that might upset the ecosystem.

Explaining further, she the equipment measured at two-hour intervals and sent data through GPRS/GSM and satellite to a server located in Gaborone after eight hours.

Ms Serumola cautioned the community against vandalising the equipment saying they should instead be its custodians.

The project, funded by KAZA TFCA, began in 2014 and has seen the installation of automated equipment in the Okavango Delta and Chobe River at Mohembo, Guma Lagoon, Xakanaka, Fish River Lodge and Chobe Safari Lodge.

Chobe MP and Assistant Minister of Tertiary Education, Research, Science and Technology, Mr Machana Shamukuni urged residents and river users to take care of the equipment as it would help them to preserve their natural resources.
Mr Shamukuni expressed gratitude for the project. ENDS