15 Nov 2020

The new Gumare water treatment plant project is expected to be complete by February 2021.

Progress of the P36-million project which commenced in May 2020 stands at 64 per cent, against the planned 78 per cent.

Speaking at a workshop in Gumare recently, Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) resident engineer in Maun, Mr Herbert Magosi said the organisation was constructing a new packaged water treatment at Gumare treatment works because demand in Gumare, Tubu, Etsha 1, Etsha 6, Xurube and Xanxana had increased drastically.

“The existing plant which was commissioned between 2001 and 2004 was failing to meet the demand of 2.7 mega litres per day. Short term efforts to improve the situation by installing a 720 cubic meter per day packaged plant in August 2019 also failed to address water situation, hence the need to construct a new and independent packaged water treatment plant of 3 mega litres per day,” he said.

The objective of the project, Mr Magosi said was to design, supply, install and commission a water treatment plant in Gumare in a cost effective manner to increase the current water treatment capacity of 720 m3 per day to 3 mega litres per day.

Another objective, he said was to build a treatment plant that could handle high water flows.

Mr Magosi also noted that they would remove colour and odour so as to comply with Botswana Bureau of Standards water quality standard.

WUC head of business in Maun, Mr Thabo Ndadi said currently Gumare demanded 1830 m3 per day, while the supply capacity was at 680 m3 per day, resulting in a deficit of 1150 m3 per day.

He however noted that given the vastness of the Okavango sub-district, plans were in place to have an independent WUC office in Gumare.

Mr Ndadi said with an independent office, Okavango would now have its own general manager and this would improve efficiency and services.

For his part, Okavango sub district council chairperson, Mr Mpoke Karapo said in future WUC should consider constructing a treatment plant specifically for cleaning underground water because there were many boreholes in the area that were underutilized.

He however commended government for the new Gumare 3 mega litres packaged water treatment plant project, noting that it would address water shortage in the area. Ends