Oshikoto governor flags water woes as region's top concern
Considering various solutions
Oshikoto governor Sacky Kathindi has described the severe and persistent water crisis as the region’s foremost challenge, calling for a coordinated, multi-faceted approach to secure a resilient water supply for its growing population.
In an interview with the Namibian Sun, Kathindi said the region, which includes part of the Etosha salt pan, is grappling with high demand, strained underground sources and ageing infrastructure.
He explained that when he took office earlier this year, he consulted with regional councillors, traditional leaders and community members to identify the region's most pressing challenges.
He said four priority areas were initially identified: roads, water, clinics and communication, with education and security also considered important.
However, water quickly emerged as the most critical issue.
"Water has become a serious burning issue," he confirmed.
“The challenge is two-fold. Firstly, the region's population has grown, leading to a greater demand for water. Secondly, the region's dry nature, coupled with the Etosha salt pan being part of Oshikoto, severely compromises local groundwater sources.”
Water quality
A major technical hurdle, the governor explained, is the high salinity of the region’s underground water.
The water is often too saline and brackish, he noted. In most areas where the government has drilled boreholes, the water is excessively salty – sometimes twice as saline as seawater, Kathindi added.
He added that addressing this issue will require advanced technology, such as desalination.
The governor noted that the long-term solution involves techniques like reverse osmosis to remove the salt from the water.
“The issue of desalination is on the table, and the region has already seen some progress, with the commissioning of four new boreholes in the Nehale lyaMpingana and Eengodi areas last month.”
The governor emphasised that addressing this persistent crisis is not the responsibility of a single office alone, but requires a coordinated effort involving all stakeholders, including the private sector and parastatals such as NamWater, which supplies water to the region.
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In an interview with the Namibian Sun, Kathindi said the region, which includes part of the Etosha salt pan, is grappling with high demand, strained underground sources and ageing infrastructure.
He explained that when he took office earlier this year, he consulted with regional councillors, traditional leaders and community members to identify the region's most pressing challenges.
He said four priority areas were initially identified: roads, water, clinics and communication, with education and security also considered important.
However, water quickly emerged as the most critical issue.
"Water has become a serious burning issue," he confirmed.
“The challenge is two-fold. Firstly, the region's population has grown, leading to a greater demand for water. Secondly, the region's dry nature, coupled with the Etosha salt pan being part of Oshikoto, severely compromises local groundwater sources.”
Water quality
A major technical hurdle, the governor explained, is the high salinity of the region’s underground water.
The water is often too saline and brackish, he noted. In most areas where the government has drilled boreholes, the water is excessively salty – sometimes twice as saline as seawater, Kathindi added.
He added that addressing this issue will require advanced technology, such as desalination.
The governor noted that the long-term solution involves techniques like reverse osmosis to remove the salt from the water.
“The issue of desalination is on the table, and the region has already seen some progress, with the commissioning of four new boreholes in the Nehale lyaMpingana and Eengodi areas last month.”
The governor emphasised that addressing this persistent crisis is not the responsibility of a single office alone, but requires a coordinated effort involving all stakeholders, including the private sector and parastatals such as NamWater, which supplies water to the region.
[email protected]
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