Bethanie to get desalination plant
The project is expected to be completed in the next 10 months.
BETHANIE - //Kharas governor Aletha Frederick has urged the NamWater management to take into consideration the current economic challenges when considering disconnecting the water supply of Bethanie due to unpaid debts.
Frederick was speaking at the site handover of a desalination plant by the minister of agriculture, water and land reform, Calle Schlettwein, to the contractor here on Thursday.
“We are facing a recurrent drought and those employed by the commercial farmers have been laid off and our communal farmers lost livestock. Those are the sectors sustaining the revenue collection of village councils,” the governor said.
She said the tourism sector has also laid off employees due to Covid-19 and this affected their ability to pay for necessities like water negatively.
The desalination technology, Frederick said, will therefore positively impact the lives of vulnerable individuals and the community of Bethanie in general by supplying water that meets the standards of quality drinking water.
“Through this, awareness of climate change and its effects on water supply will also be raised amongst the communities,” she said.
BOREHOLES
Currently, the community of Bethanie uses borehole water which has a high salt content.
NamWater chief executive officer Abraham Nehemia, who also spoke at the event, said the plant will change the livelihood of the locals as it will give them access to potable water and enhance economic progression.
He explained that the project involves the construction of a reverse osmosis desalination plant which will be powered by hybrid renewable energy, solar PV panels and the wind.
“This project is a pilot project and along with the desalination plant at Grünau, we will use the information from the two plants to add to our understanding of the cost of producing desalinated groundwater and the reliability and viability of the plants for further replication to other areas and remote communities who are facing similar water quality challenges,” added Nehemia.
NamWater awarded the tender of N$22 million to CSV Namibia while the civil works will be done by NamWater at a cost of N$14 million.
The project is expected to be completed in the next 10 months. - Nampa
Frederick was speaking at the site handover of a desalination plant by the minister of agriculture, water and land reform, Calle Schlettwein, to the contractor here on Thursday.
“We are facing a recurrent drought and those employed by the commercial farmers have been laid off and our communal farmers lost livestock. Those are the sectors sustaining the revenue collection of village councils,” the governor said.
She said the tourism sector has also laid off employees due to Covid-19 and this affected their ability to pay for necessities like water negatively.
The desalination technology, Frederick said, will therefore positively impact the lives of vulnerable individuals and the community of Bethanie in general by supplying water that meets the standards of quality drinking water.
“Through this, awareness of climate change and its effects on water supply will also be raised amongst the communities,” she said.
BOREHOLES
Currently, the community of Bethanie uses borehole water which has a high salt content.
NamWater chief executive officer Abraham Nehemia, who also spoke at the event, said the plant will change the livelihood of the locals as it will give them access to potable water and enhance economic progression.
He explained that the project involves the construction of a reverse osmosis desalination plant which will be powered by hybrid renewable energy, solar PV panels and the wind.
“This project is a pilot project and along with the desalination plant at Grünau, we will use the information from the two plants to add to our understanding of the cost of producing desalinated groundwater and the reliability and viability of the plants for further replication to other areas and remote communities who are facing similar water quality challenges,” added Nehemia.
NamWater awarded the tender of N$22 million to CSV Namibia while the civil works will be done by NamWater at a cost of N$14 million.
The project is expected to be completed in the next 10 months. - Nampa
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