30 May 2021

The Mmathethe- Ramonnedi water project is going to significantly ease the water shortage in Mmathethe, says Minister of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services, Mr Kefentse Mzwinila.

He said this at Ramonnedi on Friday when commissioning the pipeline construction and pump station refurbishment at Ramonnedi borehole. The facility pumps, cleans and transports water from the borehole for consumption in Mmathethe.

The minister said the project was the first phase of a two-pronged strategy to provide a sustainable solution to water shortage in Mmathethe.

“In this project, we refurbished the borehole and pump station and built a pipeline. We have already started pumping water to the village,” he said.

The minister noted that before the project, Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) was able to provide only 290 cubic metres of the village’s total daily water demand of 1 100 cubic metres. 

He noted that the balance was achieved through water bowsing by trucks, adding that bowsing  was costly to WUC.

 Mr Mzwinila said the borehole would provide significant water to Mmathethe, although it was still not enough.

He said to provide enough water, the ministry would implement the second phase of the strategy by sourcing water from Letsibogo and Dikgathong dams and the Masama wellfields through the North-South Career (NSC) pipeline.

“The water will be put into the Mmamashia water scheme and transported to the Gaborone –Lobatse water scheme. From Lobatse it will get into the Good Hope network and some of it will end in Mmathethe,” said the minister.

He explained that the construction of the Gaborone- Lobatse water infrastructure was already underway.  

He thanked Mmathethe residents  for remaining patient with government although they had been suffering from shortage of water for many years.

Mmathethe/Molapowabojang MP, Dr Edwin Dikoloti thanked the ministry and WUC for working hard to address the water shortage in Mmathethe. He said Mmathethe residents had suffered for many years due to shortage of water.  

He added that the situation had affected development projects in the village. “Shortage of water was a challenge to service provision in the community. It was also difficult to attract investors because water is basic to any development,” he said.

Chief executive officer (CEO) of WUC, Mr Gaselemogwe Senai said the pipeline from Ramonnedi to Mmathethe was constructed using trenchless technology which was faster. He said they were able to construct one kilometre of the pipeline everyday. He also explained that the borehole would pump water to Mmathethe 10 to 12 hours per day.

Mr Senai said WUC was trying its best to provide water to society. However, he said they were faced with challenges of depletion of water resources due to climate change. He said government resolved to transport water from the north using the NSC to meet water demand in the southern parts of the country.Mmathethe acting chief, Kgosi Reuben Mosala was grateful to government for addressing the water problem. ends