03 Dec 2020

Construction of the Lobatse Water Master Plan (LWMP) project, which is aimed at addressing water supply challenges in the Lobatse water supply zone, has finally started.

The general manager of Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) Lobatse Service Centre, Mr Mpho Tsotetsi said December 2 that contractors started mobilisation activities, three weeks ago. 

Giving an update to the full council, Mr Tsotetsi said the potable water pipeline from Gaborone to the northern Lobatse collector reservoir would be upgraded, through the over P1.04 billion project. 

He further said the water network and storage capacity in Lobatse township would be upgraded through the project, which would be completed next November. 

Mr Tsotetsi said upgrading of the township’s water network would include replacement of old water pipes to improve efficiency of the network. He further said three big reservoirs would be built to increase water storage capacity in the township from 18 000 to 48 000 cubic litres.

“Two reservoirs with a capacity of 10 000 cubic litres would be constructed, one in the north and the other one in the south of the township. Another reservoir would be constructed in the Motswedi area,” he revealed.

He said the three new reservoirs would result in the storage capacity of double the township’s daily water supply requirement. 

“This would increase our recovery period to 48 hours during times of disruption to our systems,” he said. 

Mr Tsotetsi further said the project includes construction of a pump station to push more water to villages within the Lobatse supply zone like Molapowabojang, Kgomokasitwa, Digawana, Goodhope and others.  

“These are the initiatives which we believe that, once they have been put in place, the issue of shortage of water will be a thing of the past and we would be able to supply what our area demands on a daily basis,” he said. 

Mr Tsotetsi said the Lobatse supply zone got most of its water from the North-South Carrier (NSC) pipeline,and the rest comes from Nnywane Dam and the well fields near Ramotswa. 

He said daily water demand for the zone was 22 000 cubic litres, but WUC was currently able to supply an average of 17 000 cubic litres per day.

The WUC technical services manager, Mr Letlhogonolo Molatlhelelwa, said the feasibility study for the Lobatse Water Master Plan project started in 2009, while design was completed in 2013. He however said funding issues delayed implementation of the project. 

He said the intention of the project was to address shortage of water in the Lobatse water supply zone up to 2042. He said the current pipeline from the Greater Gaborone Zone and some water pipes in Lobatse had reached their design life. 

Therefore, he said there was need for network reinforcement in Lobatse.

Mr Molatlhelelwa said package one of the project had been awarded to China State Civil Engineering Company and a one hundred percent citizen owned company Ben and Truck Hire, who started mobilisation activities in November. ends