New desalination project moving ahead
Water to be piped to Windhoek
Government has approved the construction of a 20 million m³ per year desalination plant in the Erongo Region – a crucial step toward addressing the rising water demand driven by increased uranium mining and other industrial development, as well as population growth.Agriculture, water and land reform minister Calle Schlettwein announced the government’s endorsement during the Land Development Conference in Henties Bay on Friday, emphasising NamWater’s role in managing the country’s water supply infrastructure, which currently depends on the integrated water supply system comprised of the Omdel and Kuiseb Delta aquifers and the existing Orano desalination plant.
These sources, collectively providing just under 30 million m³annually, have reached their sustainable limits, necessitating the construction of a new facility.
“With the ambitious development plans of Walvis Bay and Swakopmund, alongside increased mining, industrial and agricultural demands, our current water resources are insufficient,” Schlettwein said. “Approval for a second desalination plant with a capacity of approximately 20 million m³ per year has been granted, with construction set to begin in January 2025 and completion anticipated by early 2027.”
Strategic move
He said that this initiative is not just about meeting immediate water needs; it is a strategic move to position Namibia as a leader in sustainable water management.
The conceptualisation of the desalination plant comes as a result of a comprehensive feasibility study for a Desalination Plant and Water Transfer System, aimed at securing water supply to the central coast, Windhoek, and en-route users, which was completed in 2021.
The primary objective of this feasibility study was to provide a comprehensive concept to secure and diversify Namibia’s water supply by combining conventional water resources with a climate-independent water supply, thereby increasing resilience in the Project Area up to 2050.
This project foresees addressing future water deficits through suitable seawater desalination at a plant situated on the Atlantic coast, supplying water to the Central Coastal Area of Namibia (CCA), the Central Area of Namibia (CAN), and potentially to Botswana via pipeline transfer.