NamWater unveils ambitious plans amid drought

Amid a devastating drought and debt of over N$2 billion yet to be recovered, primarily from local authorities, NamWater continues to boast ambitious plans and large projects for the future.One of these initiatives is to release water supply from the Neckartal Dam for irrigation.According to CEO Abraham Nehemia, they are “busy nationwide”. He explained that the agriculture, water and land reform ministry has appointed a consultant to look into the design of an irrigation facility, while land for this facility will still be obtained.“We hope the contractors can be on site soon,” he added.The national water utility aims to take over the entire water pipeline network of more than 4 000 kilometres nationwide. “We will be responsible for water supply from the source to the consumer,” Nehemia said.Many pipelines are still under the direct control of the ministry.Advanced stageNamWater also has plans for a giant water pipeline from the coast, through Windhoek, and eventually to Botswana. This initiative is led by a joint committee of the two countries, with the executive director for water affairs in the ministry, Dr Elijah Ngurare, as the chairperson, Nehemia added.This pipeline is the third phase of a project that is expected to kick off soon with the construction of the first desalination plant at the coast, which will be built and owned by the Namibian government. To assist with financing for the construction costs of the facility of between N$2.5 billion and N$3 billion, NamWater will partner with Husab uranium mine’s Swakop Uranium, which is Chinese-owned.Nehemia said NamWater is also raising its own funds to pay for the utility company’s share of the desalination project. He added that negotiations are at an advanced stage, and a final financial decision can be expected by the end of this year.Construction is expected to begin next year and will take between 18 months and two years to complete, he said. After that, desalinated water will be supplied to mines, large industrial enterprises and the nearby coastal towns before the pipeline to Windhoek will be laid.Other projectsOther major projects NamWater is working on include the expansion of the Oshakati water purification plant, which is financed by the African Development Bank and is now being advertised again; and the Ohangwena II borehole supply scheme, where the contractor is working on site.The ongoing rehabilitation of the water canal from Calueque to Oshakati is another one of its projects, where the section from the border to the Olushandja Dam has been completed and work continues to Oshakati.NamWater is also working on: A purification plant at Outapi, and the upgrading of the Olushaandja purification plant, where a contract was signed this week and work is expected to begin next week.A water treatment plant and related works are being built in Rundu, after the groundbreaking ceremony was held about three weeks ago. “This is also a big project that we are already implementing. This project aims to build a facility to supply the whole of Rundu with water, but also to provide pipelines to the Mururani gate, to Mbagani in the east, and also in the direction of Nkurenkuru,” he elaborated.More upgradesAlong the coast, a pipeline from the Collector 2 reservoir is being upgraded and built above ground and a new reservoir is being built in Karibib. The Kuiseb to Swakopmund pipeline is also being replaced, new boreholes are being drilled in the Kuiseb aquifer, while the supply system to the Langer Heinrich mine is being upgraded.The Omdel to Wlotzkasbaken pipeline is also being replaced, and Nehemia said the majority of the work at the coast has already been completed.In the south, a new master plan is being drawn up, which includes the expansion of the system between the Naute Dam and Keetmanshoop, the upgrading of the Ariamsvlei extension, the upgrading of the Aroab extension, and the upgrading of the Grunau and Warmbad extensions.“We are busy nationwide. We are digging all these old pipes out of the ground and we are putting new pipes in,” he said.

NamWater unveils ambitious plans amid drought

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Namibian Sun 2025-03-31

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NamWater unveils ambitious plans amid drought

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Namibian Sun 2025-03-31

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