Water is Namibia's Achilles heel

Water security in Namibia is not only being threatened by increased demand for water, which in some areas has outstripped supply, but it is further threatened by climate change and water used inefficiently. The agriculture minister John Mutorwa said although good rains were received in most parts of the country this year, the nature of climatic conditions leaves Namibia vulnerable and this will continue to be so.“The past few years have been challenging in respect to water provision. The country underwent a succession of dry years, which not only threatened our livelihoods but the country's economy, specifically the central areas, central coastal areas and southern parts of Namibia, where we were facing challenges to supply adequate potable water for drinking and economic activities.” Mutorwa was speaking at the commemoration of the World Wetlands Day and World Water Day.He said in an attempt to keep the taps running, non-conventional sources of water such as the artificial recharge of ground water; desalination of sea water, and reclamation and re-use of waste water for suitable purposes, have been explored and implemented in some parts of the country. Other options such as drawing water from the Kavango River are still being considered, as well. He said in order to put public institutions in charge of their water affairs, Cabinet approved the appointment of water marshalls who have been trained in leak identification, water meter readings and water consumption determination to reduce water wastage and save government money. Mutorwa further said that it is important to highlight the inter-dependence between freshwater and wastewater, in the quest for sustainable development and security of supply. “For centuries, wastewater has been regarded as yuck or nothing; was seen as a threat to freshwater resources and wastewater treatment facilities and perceived as unhygienic and a breeding ground for pests such as mosquitoes.”He said that efficient and scientific innovative wastewater treatment and management can transform this untapped resource to augment rapidly depleting freshwater resources. Namibia is one of the few countries around the globe and Windhoek is so far, the only city on the African continent, that treats its wastewater effluent to potable quality, said the minister. “Wastewater re-use, recycle and reclamation should be promoted.” Meanwhile in a report launched by United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (Unicef) to mark World Water Day, it said that by 2040 almost 600 million children will live in areas with extremely limited water resources. That is around one in four children worldwide. According to the report a major factor in water stress will be a global increase in demand for water, driven largely by industrialisation, population growth, demographic shifts, food production and increased consumption. “Taking longer showers, cleaning cars, watering gardens and eating more meat – all take their toll.”Over the past 50 years, the average global temperature has increased at the fastest rate in history.Droughts can have multiple effects on poor families and communities - crops fail, livestock dies and income drops, leading to food insecurity for the poor as well as rising food prices. Such loss of livelihood can push families further into poverty and force them to migrate in search of water and food. ELLANIE SMIT

Water is Namibia's Achilles heel

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Namibian Sun 2026-05-12

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Water is Namibia's Achilles heel

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Namibian Sun 2026-05-12

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