Water woes leave Oshikoto residents parched

Thousands of Oshikoto Region residents are facing a water crisis that has left many frustrated. The situation has since forced the regional government to line up water projects worth over N$100 million to avert the crisis.

Just like neighbouring Ohangwena, access to potable water remains a pipe dream to many people in the region, a situation made even worse by the prevailing drought that has caused losses of epic proportions when it comes to livestock and crops.

While delivering his state of the region address on Wednesday, Oshikoto regional governor Penda Ya Ndakolo said the region continues to experience problems with water scarcity - particularly in the remote, rural areas where pressure is low and water is brackish.

The governor highlighted the high saline levels in groundwater sources as a contributing factor. Residents are often left with little or no water for days on end.

Ya Ndakolo announced that projects totalling at least N$113 million will be executed to ensure that the region’s thirst is quenched.

He added that NamWater is working on an environmental impact assessment study for the Oshivelo-Omutsegwonime water supply scheme, which is at the initiation phase and carries a N$27 million price tag, as well as phase one of the Ondangwa-Omutsegwonime pipeline replacement, which will total N$80 million.

Plans to add two reservoirs to the region’s water infrastructure are also in motion.

Hard at work

The Omuthiya town council is constructing a 6 000 cubic foot underground reservoir and an elevated tank to meet the demands of locals – to the tune of N$6 million. The project is expected to be completed in September this year, he said.

In the same vein, the Tsumeb municipality is also hard at work restoring the Tsumeb reservoir, which will improve bulk water infrastructure and guarantee the quality of potable water.

Ya Ndakolo said a heat wave in the region has worsened the current dry and arid conditions, putting further strain on existing water difficulties.

“However, despite those challenges, the regional leadership is fully conscious of the responsibility they bear to mitigate them,” he said.

Digging deeper

According to Ya Ndakolo, the Oshikoto regional council has completed the installation of the Omukulukila borehole in the Nehale Lyampingana constituency, the extension of the Oshiyagaya pipeline in the Omuntele constituency, and the Eyakulo pipeline extension in the Eengodi constituency.

“The following projects are also in progress and majority are at an advanced stage: The rehabilitation and installation of one borehole at Oerwoud; the construction of the Amateta-Onakalunga pipeline and the construction of the Okanjole pipeline,” he said.

The governor added that his office provided materials worth N$150 000 towards the extension of the Egolo-Okakango pipeline in the Okankolo constituency.

Meanwhile, rural water supply division conducted an experimental intervention by drilling five deep boreholes - at the cost of N$4 million - in rural constituencies which are historically prone to saline underground water.

“Unfortunately, it was found that none of the five boreholes were safe for human and animal consumption. In order to cleanse the water and make it suitable for consumption, the division is currently busy implementing a desalination process,” he said.

The division also drilled and installed one borehole at Onalusheshete village and installed five more at villages, which are currently providing safe drinking water.