City taps could run dry

According to the City’s management committee chairperson Moses Shiikwa, the three dams servicing the central areas of the country have 71 million cubic metres of water in them - the lowest amount in the past decade. Shiikwa confirmed this last week during the unveiling of the City’s N$4.1 billion budget at a council meeting. He said a NamWater planning workshop, held on June 18, adopted a water usage strategy that requires the City to save 10% on its current usage. This will ensure that the current water supplies will last until the 2015/16 rainy season. Shiikwa called on all Windhoek residents to give their full support and co-operation. “Without such support there is strong possibility that we might run out of water,” he cautioned. He further emphasised that the wet period enjoyed by Namibia over the past years came to an abrupt end during the 2012/2013 rainy season, with no water inflow into the three dams serving the central areas. Shiikwa said the rainfall during the 2013/14 rainy season was “average” and that the actual inflows into the dams were again low. According to him NamWater had “regrettably” obtained the approval from the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry to increase the bulk water tariff over a three-year period by 75%. “I hope the residents of the City will understand that as a council, we have no control over tariff increases on water and electricity,” he said. The first 25% of the 75% water tariff increase was, according to Shiikwa implemented on October 1, 2012, the second 25% increase took effect on July 1, 2013 and the remaining 15%increase comes into effect today. “The City has also been notified that another 8.7% increase will come into effect on July 1, 2015,” he said. Shiikwa stressed the City’s account with NamWater is run on cost recovery principles, and that the increase in bulk water tariffs can only be recovered from end users, through the raising of tariffs. He said though it is understood that these increases were necessitated by the long overdue upgrading of the pumping capacity between the Von Bach Dam and Windhoek, to cope with the increased water demand in the City, these increases are a heavy burden. According to him it is ironic that while there are no fixed subsidies to local authorities, NamWater and Nampower receive guaranteed central government funding. “To cope with their increases, especially electricity tariffs that make up a large percentage in terms of the pumping costs of water, it is essential for the City of Windhoek to increase the water consumption tariffs with 10%,” Shiikwa said. He reiterated that in order for the central government to keep water and electricity affordable to poorer communities, it should subsidise drinking water and electricity in Namibia. He also appealed for broader consultation with local authorities and relevant stakeholders before water and electricity tariffs are raised Shiikwa added that first six cubic metres of water to domestic consumers will be supplied at a subsidised tariff. “There is no increase in the basic charges and communal water stand pipe tariffs,” he said.