07 Feb 2013

The Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) has started familiarising Maun residents with their operations in preparation for takeover of water provision services.

The corporation is set to take over portable water and waste management services in Maun and surrounding villages effective April 1. The organisation’s corporate communications manager explained that  her corporation was not a private entity as perceived by some Batswana.

Speaking at a consultative meeting for community leaders in Maun, Ms Matida Mmipi said WUC was a parastatal and as such operated on an Act of Parliament of 1970.“As such people think water prices are set up by us and that is not true. Like any other parastatal, prices and policies are made by Parliament and we implement them,” she said.

Ms Mmipi said it was important that they introduced themselves to the village leadership.“Before WUC was asked to take over water services and waste management services, we only provided portable drinking water to urban areas,” she said.

She indicated that by 1996, government realised that there were too many players within the water sector and as such a water sector reform was drawn.

“In 2006, it was realised that for us to promote accountability within the water sector, only one organisation should look at providing portable drinking water and waste water management services, hence vertical integration,” said Ms Mmipi.

 Furthermore, Ms Mmipi said the water sector reform was implemented in 2009 with three districts and the whole process was divided into seven phases. She indicated that water affairs department would be responsible for water resource management.

“It should be noted that everything that water affairs did in terms of providing portable drinking water, maintaining infrastructure, billing and connections will be done by us effective April 2013,” she said.

Ms Matida urged the village leadership to inform residents of Maun and surrounding villages to register with WUC once they took over. She said for one to connect water, they needed a title deed and a National ID (Omang) while those that were renting, would need a lease agreement and Omang.

For his part, the deputy council secretary of the North West District Council (NWDC) Mr Motlogelwa Thuso said WUC should tread carefully in Maun because unlike other villages Maun did not have dams.

“Up here we use boreholes and not dams, so the challenges that besieged water affairs are still here and we will give you the necessary support and advice,” he said. ENDS