11 Nov 2020

The reconnection of water to customers with outstanding bills and the suspension of water disconnection country wide was done in a view to maintain continuous supply of water throughout the country, due to COVID-19.

President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi said this when delivering a State-of-the-Nation-Address on Monday.  

He said prevention of the spread of COVID-19 required hygiene, consequently making the availability of water supply critical.

Additionally, the President  said government instituted measures including the provision of additional capacity for supplementary bowsing to areas with critical water shortages and an additional 41 un-gazetted settlements.

This, he said, was meant to prevent spread and transmission of COVID-19, which required hygiene, hence availability of water supply to all households critical.

Dr Masisi stated said while short term water projects were being put in place, government was at the same time implementing medium to long term projects such as development of the Botswana Water Security Strategy for 2020 to 2040 to ensure reliability and consistency of water supply.

He said development of the strategy was expected to be completed by end of 2020/2021 financial year.

He also stated that major investment in water and sanitation infrastructure, which included the design and construction of the Maun Water Supply and Sanitation Scheme was planned to be completed in 2022.

Meanwhile, he said the projects under the World Bank supported programme included the North East /Tutume Water Supply project that entailed upgrading and remedial works of schemes in 52 villages in the two districts, adding that the project was to be completed in August 2021.

Dr Masisi further said other projects were awarded in September 2020, including the next phase of North South Carrier project under the Mmamashia-Gaborone pipeline and the Gaborone Water Master Plan, Moshupa Sanitation project, Lobatse Water Master Plan, the connection  of Tswapong South villages to the North South Carrier at Mahalapye and the Mmamashia Water Treatment Plant expansion.

He pointed out that the phase of the North South Carrier project involved development of additional infrastructure to allow for transmission of raw water, upgrading of the existing Gaborone Water Supply Network as well as connection of new developing areas of Gaborone North, Sebele, the Sir Seretse Khama International Airport Development area and the Forest Hill Development. He said the project would benefit localities such as Oodi, Modipane and Matebele.

Regarding Molepolole-Gamononyane North South Carrier Connection and Good Hope Water Master Plan Phase 2, Dr Masisi said they were currently at procurement stage.

He said Gamononyane  -Molepolole project would benefit Molepolole, Kopong, Mmanoko, Gamodubu and Thebephatswa Airbase.

As for Good Hope, he said the projects involved the transmission and distribution systems covering 32 villages from Pitsane to Sekhutlane.

Furthermore he noted that the Ramotswa Water Treatment Plant was scheduled for completion in December 2020 and would benefit the Ramotswa Cluster villages.

He said the connection of the Ramonnedi Wellfield to Mmathethe was ongoing and was expected to be completed by December 2020 saying the project would address the shortage of water for the village as a short term measure while awaiting the implementation of the Metlojane –Mmathethe World Bank Project.

Meanwhile Dr Masisi said the Gumare Water Treatment Plant was scheduled for completion by 2021 and was designed to service the villages of Gumare, Tubu, Etsha 1 and Etsha 6.

Regarding the Shakawe Water Treatment Plant, he stated that there were also ongoing and scheduled for completion in February2021.

He said the project entailed rehabilitation of the existing treatment plant to increase treated water capacity to meet the increase in demand for the villages of Shakawe, Nxamasere, Samochima, Mohembo West, Ukusi, Shaikarawe and Xhauga in the Okavango Sub District until 2035.

With regards to rehabilitation of the Glen Valley Waste Water Treatment, President Masisi said it was scheduled to be completed by December. ENDS