23 Dec 2024

Kaputura and Tobera are supplied with water from Mohembo Water Treatment Plant while Shaikaware receives water from the Shakawe Water Treatment Plant, the Minister of Water and Human Settlement Mr Onnetse Ramogapi has said.

 Responding to a question in Parliament on Thursday, Mr Ramogapi said the ministry was aware of occasional water supply challenges in the Okavango East constituency attributed to limited water supply infrastructure and equipment failure.

“Notwithstanding the above, Water Utilities Corporation has contingency plans in the event of supply interruptions, through water bowsing and rationing. All these interventions are aimed at minimising negative impact to livelihoods of communities,” he said.

The minister said Mohembo Water Treatment Plant was commissioned more than 20 years ago and had exceeded design horizon.

He said the plant’s nominal design capacity was 600 million cubic metres per day against current output of 34m million cubic metres per day, and was no longer economic to maintain. He said the ministry would construct a pipeline connecting Ngarange, Tobera and Kaputura to Seronga Water Treatment Plant at Mokgacha during the National Development Plan (NDP) 12.

He said the tender for design and build of Mokgacha, Ngarange extension and process improvement of Seronga Water Treatment Plant was floated and submitted in August but put on hold due to insufficient budget. He said the Shaikaware booster pump station was no longer reliable and its upgrade would be considered for budgeting during 2025/26 Financial Year.

The minister said they were reviewing all water related legislation which included the Borehole Act to address deficiencies. He said the ministry had arranged to drill boreholes for potable water supply in areas with good water potential and less likelihood of contamination from other land uses.

Mr Ramogapi said the ministry therefore did not support drilling of boreholes within built up areas due to high risk of contamination from human activities such as pit latrines. The minister further explained that the ministry was not in a position to fund drilling of boreholes in Okavango East with immediate effect as requested due to insufficient funds.

MP Gabatsholwe Disho of Okavango East had wanted the minister to explain how people living in Kaputura, Tobera and Shaikaware villages were expected to live sustainable lives when they could go for more than half a month without safe drinking water.

He also asked the minister if could expeditiously facilitate the review of the WUC Act to allow drilling of boreholes as a backup in the mentioned villages including Gowa Junior Secondary School. He further wanted to know if government was prepared to fund drilling of boreholes with immediate effect. ENDS