By:Fransina Nghidengwa
The government is hoping to collaborate with mining companies on the construction of the central and coastal desalination plant.
Agriculture, Water and Land Reform Minister Calle Schlettwein said this during his address to the new board of the country’s water utility, NamWater, early this week.
Schlettwein reminded the new board that the water utility has been busy implementing the desalination and intends to work with the mining companies.
“NamWater is currently engaged in the implementation of this project, which aims to collaborate with the mines, the biggest consumers of desalinated water,” he said.
Every quarter reports have highlighted how insufficient water has impacted the outputs of uranium in the country.
Schlettwein said Cabinet has made a firm commitment to strengthen desalination capacity at the central coast of Namibia by approving the implementation of the SS1 Desalination Plant.
Efforts to develop desalinated water capacity in the area have been ongoing, and the plant will serve as a sustainable water supply for coastal users.
“The plant will gradually introduce desalinated water to local authorities, considering the dwindling water resources and associated costs,” he said.
The Minister said in the last three years, progressive steps have been taken to adequately fund the sector, addressing ageing water infrastructure and developing new schemes to serve underserved areas.
He added that the policy is not to make water a business, but the reason is to make sure wateris supplied at the cheapest price to the consumers with the justification that they have got large informal settlements, poor people that need and have a right to water as have rich people.
“You cannot deprive them [the poor] of that right so we must supply water at a better price. There is no room for profit-making if you want to supply these poor people,” he said.
Schlettwein said NamWater recently developed a new five-year strategy (2023-2028) to guide its operations. The projects are crucial for providing much-needed water supply services to the people. He further said Windhoek will be under pressure in 12 months and the dams will be dry and water will have to be sourced from far away and they cannot afford Windhoek to get dry.