Water crisis at Omuntele
Cattle herders in the Omuntele farming area in the Oshikoto Region are appealing for drinking water to be supplied to them.
ILENI NANDJATO
Due to the prolonged drought and damage by elephants, livestock herders in the Omuntele farming area are in dire need of water.
Water from the usual sources has become too salty for human consumption.
This was confirmed by Omuntele constituency councillor Sacky Nangula, who said farm owners had approached his office with pleas that the regional council supply cattle herders with drinking water.
He said the Rural Water Supply office at Onankali had made available a 10 000-litre tank truck that supplies water to the Oshikoto Region.
Nangula said the situation is now worse because of the prolonged drought.
He said elephants from the Etosha National Park have started grazing in the farming area and have mixed the water with sand.
Nangula said his office had requested for the area to be supplied with a water tank.
“The area is experiencing drought as it has not received sufficient rainfall yet. The water that is there has become too salty and unfit for human consumption.
“The farm owners have reported to my office that their livestock caretakers are suffering and we should help because of the elephants that are tampering with the water sources,” Nangula said.
“I made an effort to contact the Rural Water Supply office and they have promised that they will help; it’s only that currently the tanker has broken down and after it is repaired they will be helped.”
Omuntele and Omuthiya get water from Oshakati through the Ondangwa reservoir, via the Oshali-Okatope pipeline.
However, the grazing area has no clean water due to supply pressures.
Nangula said the most affected areas are Omutomboli, Omapopo, Okuma, Onanzi and Omuthiya gwaShitayi.
He said for now livestock can still drink the saline water, but the problem may get worse if the situation continues for much longer.
Due to the prolonged drought and damage by elephants, livestock herders in the Omuntele farming area are in dire need of water.
Water from the usual sources has become too salty for human consumption.
This was confirmed by Omuntele constituency councillor Sacky Nangula, who said farm owners had approached his office with pleas that the regional council supply cattle herders with drinking water.
He said the Rural Water Supply office at Onankali had made available a 10 000-litre tank truck that supplies water to the Oshikoto Region.
Nangula said the situation is now worse because of the prolonged drought.
He said elephants from the Etosha National Park have started grazing in the farming area and have mixed the water with sand.
Nangula said his office had requested for the area to be supplied with a water tank.
“The area is experiencing drought as it has not received sufficient rainfall yet. The water that is there has become too salty and unfit for human consumption.
“The farm owners have reported to my office that their livestock caretakers are suffering and we should help because of the elephants that are tampering with the water sources,” Nangula said.
“I made an effort to contact the Rural Water Supply office and they have promised that they will help; it’s only that currently the tanker has broken down and after it is repaired they will be helped.”
Omuntele and Omuthiya get water from Oshakati through the Ondangwa reservoir, via the Oshali-Okatope pipeline.
However, the grazing area has no clean water due to supply pressures.
Nangula said the most affected areas are Omutomboli, Omapopo, Okuma, Onanzi and Omuthiya gwaShitayi.
He said for now livestock can still drink the saline water, but the problem may get worse if the situation continues for much longer.
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