Mupini pipeline project commissioned

The Minister of Agriculture Water and Forestry, John Mutorwa, last week commissioned the Mupini water pipeline extension project during a familiarisation visit to the Kavango West Region.
The project was constructed within four months to the tune of N$1.917 million. It will directly benefit communities with safe drinking water in the villages of Mupini, Matende, Sikondo and parts of Kasote.
According to Mutorwa the project is the result of the relocation of the communities to pave way for the development of the Sikondo Green Scheme Project.
The ministry was tasked to provide water to these communities through water tankers and sometimes boreholes, Mutorwa said.
Three boreholes were first drilled south of the Sikondo Green Scheme Project, Matende and Ruurumwe.
“Unfortunately, the water from these boreholes could not satisfy the demand of all the communities of Mupini, Sikondo, Matende and Kasote.” Therefore another plan had to be designed and this resulted in the extension of the Mupini pipeline.
Mutorwa said that the pipeline extension project will come from the Mupini River pump station and that a tower was constructed from where the water will be supplied to the villages. The key project deliverables have been to construct a 5-km high density polyethylene (HDPE) pipeline from Mupini to Matende with five water points.
It also includes the construction of a 8-km HDPE pipeline from Mupini to Kasote with eight water points while a river pump station with elevated tanks at Mupini feeding the two pipelines were also constructed.
The contractor of the project was Elago Construction and the project was solely funded by the ministry and is to be maintained by NamWater.
Mutorwa further announced that a pipe extension from Matende village will be constructed and the actual implementation of work will commence middle June.

ELLANIE SMIT