Windhoek implements stringent Category D water-use rules

The City of Windhoek has enforced strict water-saving measures, effective this month, following the declaration of a Water Severe Scarcity, Category D drought situation, with a required 15% savings target now in effect.Among the new regulations regarding business and residential water consumption, the City also announced that it will implement penalty rates for high water consumption levels for domestic consumers starting on 1 September.The municipality will not add a markup to the first six cubic meters (6 m3) of water consumed by residents, which will be charged at the same rate the City pays NamWater, which is N$24.41 per cubic meter.However, use of more than that will be charged at higher rates.“The higher your monthly water consumption, the more you pay per cubic meter. Please reduce your consumption and help us save this precious resource,” the City stated.Insufficient inflowIn a media release issued last week, the municipality said the 2023-2024 rainy season ended in April this year without adequate rainwater inflow into the Von Bach, Swakoppoort and Omatako dams, which supply Windhoek and the Central Areas of Namibia (CAN) with potable water.At the annual CAN Workshop in May, NamWater presented a water supply outlook for 2024-2026, focusing on the remainder of this year until the next rainy season.“NamWater can only supply Windhoek with 148 822 m³ of water per week, far below the projected demand of 498 631 m³ per week for 2024-2025," the municipality pointed out."This supply meets only 30% of Windhoek’s needs, leaving the remaining 70% to be supplemented by the City’s managed resources: the Potable Reclamation Plant and the Windhoek Aquifer (borehole scheme),” according to the City.Aquifer abstractionIn June 2023, the City began aquifer abstraction after obtaining an emergency permit to extract 8.5 million m³ per year."If needed, an amendment will be required to increase this to 9.5 million m³ per year, but higher rates could affect water quality. Therefore, any abstraction must be planned, controlled, and within the allocated quota to avoid depleting resources," the City stated.To ensure sustainable water use during this drought, the City will maintain increased consumption charges and intensify enforcement of Category D water-saving measures. Residents are commended for their efforts and urged to continue conserving water to achieve the required 15% savings. Water regulationsAmong the Category D water-saving measures, only semi-purified water may be used on public sports fields, while private households may water their lawns once weekly only.Existing trees and shrubs may be watered by means of a hand-held hose or low-volume non-spray irrigation no more than once per week on a scheduled day.Existing plants may be watered only twice a week on assigned days by means of a hand-held hose or low-volume non-spray irrigation.Cars may not be washed at home, and only certified commercial car washes may be used.Public swimming pool hours will be reduced, and residential pools must be covered and may not be filled or refilled from public supply.Customers are prohibited from operating any existing outdoor fountain or waterfall that sprays water into the air and no new features are allowed.

Windhoek implements stringent Category D water-use rules

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-04

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Windhoek implements stringent Category D water-use rules

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-04

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