• Infrastructure

NamWater forges ahead

• 3 Months Ago - 2024-07-25 09:08:00

In the midst of a devastating drought and with debt of more than N$2 billion still to be collected, especially from local authorities, the Namibia Water Corporation Ltd (NamWater) still has ambitious plans and major projects for the future.
One of the initiatives is to release water from the Neckartal Dam for irrigation purposes. NamWater's CEO, Abraham Nehemia, said the line ministry has appointed a consultant to look at the design of the irrigation scheme and the land for the plant will still be acquired. "We hope the contractors can be on site soon."
Among other things, the national water carrier wants to take over the entire water pipeline network of more than 4 000 km across the country. "We will be responsible for water supply from the source to the consumer," Nehemia said. Numerous pipelines are still under the direct control of the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform.
NamWater also intends to lay a giant water pipeline from the coast, through Windhoek and finally to Botswana. This initiative is led by a joint committee from the two countries, with the executive director for water affairs in the ministry, Dr. Elijah Ngurare, as the chairman.
Desalination
However, this pipeline is only the third phase of a project that is due to kick off after the construction of a desalination plant at the coast, which will be built and owned by the Namibian government. To help finance the construction costs of between N$2.5 billion and N$3 billion, NamWater is partnering with Husab Uranium's Chinese-owned Swakop Uranium.
Nehemia said NamWater is also collecting its own funds to pay for their part of the desalination project. He added that negotiations are at an advanced stage and that a final financial decision can be expected before the end of this year.
Once construction is expected to begin next year, it will take between 18 months and two years to complete the plant, he said. After that, the desalinated water will already be supplied to mines, large industrial enterprises and the nearby coastal towns, before the pipeline to Windhoek will be laid.
Major projects
Other major projects that NamWater is working on include the expansion of the Oshakati water treatment plant which is being financed by the African Development Bank and is now being re-advertised; and the Ohangwena II wellfield supply scheme, where the contractor is working on site.
Rehabilitation of the water channel from Calueque to Oshakati continues, where the section from the border to the Olushandja Dam has been completed while work is ongoing in Oshakati; a treatment plant at Outapi is in the pipeline; and the upgrade of the Olushandja treatment plant, where the contract was signed this week and operations are expected to start next week, are other major projects.
A water treatment plant and related works are being built in Rundu, after the ground-breaking ceremony was held earlier this month.
"This plant will supply the whole of Rundu with water and includes pipelines to the Mururani Gate, to Mbagani in the east, and also towards Nkurenkuru," he said.
Coastal work
Along the coast, the pipeline from the Collector 2 reservoir is being upgraded and built above ground and a new reservoir is being constructed at Karibib.
The pipeline from Kuiseb to Swakopmund 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 pipeline from Omdel to Wlotzkasbaken is also being replaced, and Nehemia said the majority of the work along 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 upgrade of the Ariamsvlei extension; upgrading the Aroab extension; and the Grunau and the Warmbad extension's upgrade.
"Countrywide, we are digging up old pipes and replacing them with new ones," he said. – [email protected]