23 Sep 2013

The Minister of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources has refuted allegations that Thune Dam is leaking. Speaking during a kgotla meeting in Bobonong and Mathathane last week, Mr Kitso Mokaila said the allegations were not true because the dam was designed to construction standards.

He said the water in the base of the dam was not due to poor construction, but to seepage which was deliberately made to give the dam a breathing space.
Bobonong Village Development Committee chairperson, Mr Joseph Mokgathong and residents of Mathathane had alleged that the dam was leaking.

However, Mr Mokaila explained that the contractor deliberately left a spill over to let the water flow which many people mistakenly believed was leaking.His explanation was supported by the dam’s project officer, Mr Edward Nkutlwang who told residents that seepage in dams was part and parcel of construction.

Mr Nkutlwang emphasised that the dam met all construction standards, saying some people might confuse seepage to a leak. “Seepage was designed to ease pressure that might end up destroying the dam,” he said.

He said the dam was monitored on a daily basis and that the seepage was within the expected level. He further said the dam was about  40 per cent full, dismissing claims that it was filled to capacity.

“The water level is currently at 31 per cent which translates to 28 million cubic litres,” he said. He noted that the carrying capacity of the dam was 90 million cubic litres.

Mr Nkutlwang told residents of the two villages that dams in Botswana lost a lot of water through evaporation than seepage. “Every month the dam losses 20cm of water through evaporation,” he said.

Concerning the pipe that would supply water to the village, he said tender documents were ready for assessment.On other issues, Mr Mokaila urged residents to conserve water, noting that in the past two years the country has been receiving low rainfall.

He said shortage of water has led to water rationing in some areas such as Gaborone. He added that as a way of conserving water, Water Utilities Corporation would introduce prepaid metres to each and every household as well as prepaid standpipes.  On high water bills, he noted that some were caused by leaking pipes within households and urged residents to maintain them.

Minister Mokaila said during the takeover of water supply from the Department of Water Affairs by WUC, the corporation inherited arrears amounting to over P70 million which has to be paid by those who were defaulting.

On power issues, the minister said the situation has normalised. “We have passed a testing period of power shortage, the problem was caused by a boiler which failed to supply the turbines,” he said. He said Morupule B power project was not complete and was expected to be fully operational by the end of the year.

He told residents that BCL mine, which employ 6 000 workers, has engaged in a strategy to ensure it extend the life of the mine. He said   it has focused on prospecting other minerals other than copper and nickel.   “It is also in the process building a plant to turn sulphur dioxide into sulphuric acid and smelt minerals for neighbouring countries.”Ends