06 Nov 2023

 Government has made significant investments in strategic water supply and sanitation projects throughout the country, says President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi.

Delivering the State-of-the-Nation Address in Parliament yesterday, President Masisi said some of the strategic projects were completed at the end of the 11^th National Development Plan while others were being implemented through the Transitional National Development Plan (TNDP).

He said four water treatment plants in Mahalapye, Palapye, Gumare and Shakawe were completed between 2020 and 2022.

He said the water supply scheme for North East and Tutume District water supply scheme, which covered 52 villages, was completed in 2022 while the Lobatse/Mogojogojo water supply scheme was completed in 2021.

The scheme, he said, improved water supply in Good Hope, adding that before the end of the 2023/2024 financial year the Good Hope water supply scheme would be completed.

 He noted that the construction of a pipeline and pump station connecting 18 villages within Tswapong South cluster was completed in July 2022.

President Masisi also noted that the reinforcement of the bulk water supply project was underway to improve water to Tswapong villages and to provide for a water distribution network in Flowertown, Mahalapye, in the 2024/2025 financial year.

He said the Selebi Phikwe/Serule water supply project, which was intended to benefit Serule, Mmadinare, Damochojenaa, Gojwane, Moreomabele, Topisi and Serule was also completed in May.

Furthermore, he said the construction of the Lobatse water master plan project, which was intended to improve water supply to areas along the Lobatse corridor was complete and undergoing commissioning.

With a record breaking 92 million litres reservoir, he said the Gaborone water supply master plan project, comprising of the Mmamashia to Foresthill pipeline and reservoir, Lobatse water supply and Mmamashia to Gaborone North was also at the final stage of completion.

By June 2024, he said ,the North-South Water Carrier 2.2, which included the construction of a second pipeline from Palapye to Mmamashia, would be completed, adding that upon its completion water security for the eastern part of the country would be achieved.

“The Mmamashia water treatment plant expansion is ongoing and is expected to be completed by the end of this financial year.  At completion, the Mmamashia water treatment plant will be the largest in the Southern African Development Community region with a capacity of 220 mega litres,” said Dr Masisi.

President Masisi also said the Gamononyane-Molepolole water pipeline construction project, which was at commissioning stage, would improve water supply in Molepolole, Lentsweletau, Kopong, Metsimotlhabe, Thebephatshwa, and surrounding villages.

The construction of the water pipeline as well as the associated infrastructure to Kopong-Lentsweletau cluster, he said, was expected to be completed during the 2023/2024 financial year.

He further noted that the Boteti, Southern and Central cluster villages water supply scheme was ongoing and was expected to be completed by May 2024 while the Maun water supply and sanitation project, which was intended to improve water supply and sanitation services for Maun and surrounding villages, was expected to be completed in April 2024. 

The water infrastructure from the project, he said, was being commissioned and in use for early benefit.

Additionally, he said the Moshupa and Kanye sanitation projects were at commissioning stage and that customers were being connected to the two sanitation schemes while the Kasane water treatment plant was undergoing commissioning.

Government, Dr Masisi said, was in the process of addressing water shortages in Kgalagadi North, adding that the re-scoping of the project to draw water from the Phuduhudu wellfields instead of Ncojane was underway and would be awarded during the 2024/2025 financial year. Ends