Unfit for humans

Epembe constituency councillor Phillip Shikongo is concerned about the health of Ohangwena residents who are consuming unsafe water.He said that in September three Haufikuweenime villagers were rushed to the Eenhana district hospital, where they were admitted after they drank contaminated water from a well. They were later diagnosed with liver disease.The Ohangwena regional council has approved Shikongo's motion to relocate all unused or abandoned water tanks at various community water points to the needy, in a quest to resolve the water crisis in the region.At a council meeting on 1 November, Shikongo reported that the Okongo, Epembe, Omundaungilo and Oshikunde constituencies are badly affected and the council needs to intervene soonest. This came after Namibian Sun reported last year that Ohangwena has a massive aquifer estimated to hold about 20 billion cubic metres of fresh water, while Omundaungilo, Oshikunde, Okongo and Epembe inhabitants are consuming water that is unfit for human consumption. Shikongo said the water crisis has been a serious problem since before independence, but 28 years later the situation remains unchanged.“Many people in these four constituencies consume unsafe water. The piped water network covers only some parts of Epembe and Omundaungilo, while other parts and the whole of Okongo and Oshikunde only depend on boreholes and wells. Most of the borehole water in these constituencies is not good for human consumption, due to the high content of fluoride,” Shikongo said.“This means that many people in these constituencies have no access to potable water, due to the scarcity and lack of water facilities to hold water, especially during the dry seasons. Some people have to walk up to 7km to get potable water.”Shikongo said cases of waterborne diseases are very high in areas where there is no potable water - a situation he said affects people's health negatively.“This situation poses threats to the health of people who are living in those areas. Therefore, an alternative should be found in order to ensure that people in these areas are provided with potable water by the regional council, which can be stored in water tanks that are abandoned or unused at some water points across the region, to reduce sickness and unnecessary deaths,” he said.Shikongo said 35 tanks are needed in total - 11 for Epembe for Ohaimbudu, Oukala, Ohamenya, Omupanda, Oluungu, Oneisiyo, Ohamikoka, Onduuludiaya, Ohamutwedautende, Okuyana and Omupalala; six for Okongo at Olukumwa, Okanghalulwena, Omulamba, Oshikuni and Ondiimwenena and Olupale; 12 for Omundaungilo at Ekolola, Oshihepo, Epinga, Eewa, Ohehongo, Onainghete, Oshipala, Ondwi, Ombaaloka, Omufitu-wekuta and Oshingadu; and six for Oshikunde at Okwatiwalunga, Owalyainda, Onamihonga west, Omunyangwhwe, Okambuwa and Ombaba. Shikongo said this will be an equitable and efficient utilisation of government resources in the region.He suggested that the regional council, through the directorate of rural water supply, do a physical inventory count of all deserted community water points and water tanks installed at those points across the region.“Those tanks should be relocated to villages that are in need of water. The regional council should explore ways to fix or repair the damaged tanks and be responsible for filling those tanks with water. Community members in those areas should be sensitised to take good care of their property,” he said.In 2013, government was supposed to have drilled 104 boreholes - 25 in Zambezi, 14 in Kavango East, 17 in Kavango West, 16 in Ohangwena, 21 in Kunene and 11 in Omaheke. These boreholes were to have been installed as part of a South African government drought relief donation of N$100 million, promised by then President Jacob Zuma in 2013, which only reportedly materialised in 2015.Last year, Ohangwena governor Usko Nghaamwa equipped eight of these boreholes in his region to supply water to communities that had to travel long distances for potable water. According to the water ministry, the Ohangwena aquifer has the potential to supply water to northern Namibia for the next 400 years.ILENI NANDJATO

Unfit for humans

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-20

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Unfit for humans

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-20

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