14 Sep 2022

Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) has been commended for its efforts to improve the water situation in Ngamiland.

Commenting on the council chairperson’s speech, councillors appreciated that the water supply situation in the region had improved, with a few villages still experiencing quality and supply challenges.

They also expressed gratitude that the corporation was working with the regional leadership and keeping them abreast of the challenges encountered.

Cllr Botshelo Mapa of Sepopa/Ikoga said the corporation continued to do a commendable job to ensure that communities had access to potable water. 

He said Sepopa water treatment plant in the Okavango area was supplying most of the villages, albeit not at 100 per cent.

He noted that some areas on the other side of Sepopa were experiencing shortage of water and hoped the corporation would rectify the situation.

Cllr Morolong Mosimanyana of Nxaraga/Komana concurred and thanked management for their efforts. 

He appreciated some water projects undertaken at Nxaraga and expressed hoped that once completed, residents would be able to connect water to their homesteads.

Cllr Oabile Chomobo of Shorobe/Sankoyo appreciated that the water situation had improved, but urged the corporation to urgently address the Shorobe water quality issue.

In his speech, the council chairperson, Mr Kebareeditse Ntsogotlho had stated that the water situation had generally improved across the district. 

He noted that the Borolong water treatment plant, which treated surface water from Thamalakane River and contributed 34 per cent of Maun water supply, was now fully operational.

The plant, he said, had improved the water supply for Maun, especially for areas in Boseja and Disaneng wards, which were hard-hit, when Borolong water treatment plant was off due to the drying of Thamalakane River resulting in some areas experiencing low pressures to no water supply interruption.

Mr Ntsogotlho also admitted that the current treatment capacity of Semolo, Nokaneng and Sepopa water treatment plants was insufficient to meet the demand. 

He, however, said in an effort to address the situation, WUC, continued to bowse and ration water supply.

Councillors were also informed that the project to rehabilitate Semolo and Nokaneng water treatment plants was at procurement stage and upon completion, there would be improvement.

They also learnt that WUC, through the Ministry of Lands and Water Affairs, was in the process of upgrading and improving water supply, water distribution network and sanitation reticulation in Maun as witnessed by the current ongoing project.

The council chairman said contract one of Maun Water Supply and Sanitation Upgrade Phase 2 project was 66 per cent complete as at end of August 2022. 

The project started in October 2019 and was expected to be completed in November 2022.

Another project, Mr Ntsogotlho mentioned was the contract 2 which focused on borehole equipping, borehole collector lines, water treatment plant and transmission lines from Nxaraga to Shashe Booster Station and Nxaraga village. 

The project, which intended to increase water supply and reliability in Maun and its satellite villages, commenced on 25th February 2021 and is expected to be completed in February 2023.

“It is also important to note that despite efforts by the corporation to supply water, it is also inundated with the high rise in power cables theft at Borolong River intake, Sexaxa and Shashe boreholes,” he added.

He said there was also vandalism of water infrastructure by farmers and illegal sand miners, especially in Kareng, Makalamabedi, Shashe wellfield, Shaikarawe and Sepopa-Gumare transmission pipeline.

Mr Ntsogotlho noted that they had also realised that some of the vandalism of water infrastructure was caused by elephants in and around Phuduhudu, Etsha 1 and 6, which resulted in water shortages and high non-revenue water in the affected areas. Ends