Water secure until 2020

With the available water resources, as well as the stipulated Windhoek water savings, NamWater is confident that the water security of the central region, particularly Windhoek, is guaranteed until the 2020 rainy season.

NamWater spokesperson Hieronymus Goraseb last week told Namibian Sun that while they are still carefully monitoring water supply and remain concerned, with the targeted 5% savings on water consumption and the present water sources “the rainy season of 2020 can be reached even if there is no inflow of water into our dams.”

As per the latest dam bulletin issued 24 July, the three central dams, Swakoppoort, Von Bach and Omatako, are currently at 48.6% capacity.

Swakoppoort is 49% full, Von Bach stands at 67.9% and Omatako is at 26.8%.

Goraseb noted that while NamWater does not base its operations or strategies on long-term rainfall predictions, “we are preparing for the scenario of no inflow into our dams” in the coming rainy seasons.

He said currently NamWater does not foresee any strengthening of existent water restrictions, but water resources are monitored closely and a re-evaluation will be done after the next rainy season.

As part of several strategies that were highlighted during the water supply crisis last year, these plans, including the City of Windhoek's steps to install additional boreholes within the city, have contributed materially to ensuring water security beyond the 2019/20 rainy season.

NamWater has also improved the pumping installations at Kombat and Berg Aukas, as well as created the capacity to abstract “the dead storage at Swakoppoort and Von Bach dams”.

Feasibility studies are being carried out for the central areas and the central coast with the aim to address the long-term security of water supply to these areas.

“Over the medium term we are investigating incorporating additional sources of water to supply to the central area,” Goraseb said.

City of Windhoek spokesperson Lydia Amutenya recently told Namibian Sun that the municipality was happy with public efforts to monitor and save water but urged everyone to remain diligent.

“It is very important that consumers monitor their weekly consumption to avoid undetected leaks underground and for them to fix those leaks promptly.”

In June, the City of Windhoek announced that the water restrictions in place since 1 December 2015 had been relaxed from a Category E Water Crisis to a Category B Water Alert, as per the City's drought monitor index.

Category E requires that the public reduce consumption by 5%.

The City also noted that the drought response plan launched in 2015 had been revised and would in future be known as the City of Windhoek Water Management Plan 2017.

The City cautioned consumers that although water security had improved it was critical to maintain the set savings targets.

In line with this the City has published weekly water consumption updates on its social media account.

Last week, water consumption was above the allowable consumption target and the City requested the public to “please do not forget that we are still in a water alert situation and every drop of water should count!”

The 2017 water management plan for Windhoek permits residents to irrigate their lawn, trees, shrubs and perennial plants twice a week.

Flowers, vegetables and community gardens may only be watered by hand and not sprayers, and no watering is permitted between 09:00 and 12:00 in summer and 10:00 and 16:00 in winter.

Car washing at home is only permitted with a bucket and pressure cleaner, and all non-private carwash operations require relevant certification, while commercial carwash operations are limited to 30 litres per car.

No fountains or water features may be operated.

JANA-MARI SMITH