Windhoek starts using emergency borehole water
Dams running dry
Windhoek residents have been instructed to adhere to various water-saving measures.
With dams running dry at a rapid rate, the City of Windhoek this week resorted to supplementing the capital’s drinking water supply through its emergency borehole scheme.
At least ten suburbs in Windhoek are already receiving borehole water.
This follows after the City council decided to implement water restrictions as part of its drought response plan.
According to a notice issued by the Office of the Chief Executive Officer, there may be some observable changes from the norm with regards to the taste, colour and smell of the drinking water.
However, residents are assured that the drinking water is suitable for human consumption.
"Despite this, we remain committed to ensuring the quality of Windhoek’s drinking water and want to assure residents that our drinking water remains fit for human consumption," the City said in a statement.
Distribution of supply
Certain neighbourhoods will only receive borehole water, while others will receive a mixture of borehole and municipal water.
Areas where the observable changes may be most obvious include Olympia, Suiderhof, Kleine Kuppe, Cimbebasia, Prosperita, Auasblick, Pionierspark, Academia, Rocky Crest, Hochland Park and Luiperdsvallei. This is because these areas will henceforth receive borehole water exclusively.
The suburbs of Eros, Klein Windhoek, Avis, Windhoek Central Business District, Ludwigsdorf, Dorado Park and Windhoek North will receive a blend of borehole, NamWater and reclaimed water, and hence the observable changes in drinking water should be less.
Meanwhile, the rest of Windhoek will receive a blend of NamWater and reclaimed water, as before, and no observable changes in the drinking water are expected.
It said that this water supply strategy will remain in place until noticeable inflows are received from the NamWater surface sources.
Less than
The total average level for Windhoek's three water supply dams currently stands at 34.6% in comparison to last season's total level of 57.1% during the same period.
The Swakoppoort dam’s level is still at 67.2%, according to NamWater’s latest dam bulletin.
However, the City has said that it is important to note that the dam’s water is of poor quality and that the transfer system that links to Von Bach Dam is very unreliable with regular interruptions.
Meanwhile, the level of the Von Bach Dam is at 22.8%, and the Omatako Dam is empty.
Do your part
Residents have been advised to follow a number of water-saving measures. Among these, they are advised to water gardens only twice a week; vehicles may only be washed using buckets (no handled hoses); and swimming pools should be covered at all times.
Other restrictions include no water features such as fountains; water reuse is encouraged as far as possible; four block water tariffs will be adjusted to lower volumes consumed per month before penalty tariffs apply to encourage water saving; and residents are expected to take daily water metre readings to identify water leakages.
No water leakage rebates will be considered.
At least ten suburbs in Windhoek are already receiving borehole water.
This follows after the City council decided to implement water restrictions as part of its drought response plan.
According to a notice issued by the Office of the Chief Executive Officer, there may be some observable changes from the norm with regards to the taste, colour and smell of the drinking water.
However, residents are assured that the drinking water is suitable for human consumption.
"Despite this, we remain committed to ensuring the quality of Windhoek’s drinking water and want to assure residents that our drinking water remains fit for human consumption," the City said in a statement.
Distribution of supply
Certain neighbourhoods will only receive borehole water, while others will receive a mixture of borehole and municipal water.
Areas where the observable changes may be most obvious include Olympia, Suiderhof, Kleine Kuppe, Cimbebasia, Prosperita, Auasblick, Pionierspark, Academia, Rocky Crest, Hochland Park and Luiperdsvallei. This is because these areas will henceforth receive borehole water exclusively.
The suburbs of Eros, Klein Windhoek, Avis, Windhoek Central Business District, Ludwigsdorf, Dorado Park and Windhoek North will receive a blend of borehole, NamWater and reclaimed water, and hence the observable changes in drinking water should be less.
Meanwhile, the rest of Windhoek will receive a blend of NamWater and reclaimed water, as before, and no observable changes in the drinking water are expected.
It said that this water supply strategy will remain in place until noticeable inflows are received from the NamWater surface sources.
Less than
The total average level for Windhoek's three water supply dams currently stands at 34.6% in comparison to last season's total level of 57.1% during the same period.
The Swakoppoort dam’s level is still at 67.2%, according to NamWater’s latest dam bulletin.
However, the City has said that it is important to note that the dam’s water is of poor quality and that the transfer system that links to Von Bach Dam is very unreliable with regular interruptions.
Meanwhile, the level of the Von Bach Dam is at 22.8%, and the Omatako Dam is empty.
Do your part
Residents have been advised to follow a number of water-saving measures. Among these, they are advised to water gardens only twice a week; vehicles may only be washed using buckets (no handled hoses); and swimming pools should be covered at all times.
Other restrictions include no water features such as fountains; water reuse is encouraged as far as possible; four block water tariffs will be adjusted to lower volumes consumed per month before penalty tariffs apply to encourage water saving; and residents are expected to take daily water metre readings to identify water leakages.
No water leakage rebates will be considered.
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