Karibib tap water ‘stinky and worm-infested’

Karibib has been experiencing poor water quality in recent weeks, with complaints from residents of brownish water, unpleasant smells, and objects, such as worms.

Karibib chief executive officer Lesley Goereseb yesterday issued a statement apologising for the poor water quality, assuring residents that efforts are underway to resolve the issue.

“The source affecting the town’s water quality is currently unknown due to various factors, including the quality of raw water from Swakoppoort Dam, ageing pipes, pipe bursts in town, and so forth,” he said.

To address the situation, the Karibib Town Council has engaged Navachab QKR Mine and NamWater, the town’s mandated resource provider, to investigate the problem.

Goereseb said discussions with the various stakeholders have focused on the treatment process, the reticulation system and end-user complaints.

He said an investigation was initiated and is expected to take two to three weeks due to its technical nature.

“The exercise is being undertaken to identify problem areas and find the source and origin of the poor quality. In the meantime, please continue to boil your water before consumption and report all observations,” Goereseb said.

Karibib mayor Davey van Wyk said the issue was taken up with NamWater, but the utility allegedly refused to take any responsibility.
He said that is why the council has approached the gold mine for assistance.

“We have requested the mine to assist the council in identifying what could be the problem. Our town buys water from NamWater directly, and just distribute it.

“We took it up with NamWater, but they refused to take responsibility. Therefore, we want specialists to identify the problem,” Van Wyk said.

NamWater chief executive officer Abraham Nehemiah did not respond to questions sent to him via WhatsApp by the time of going to print.

Emma Vanmooi, a resident, says the water situation has been persisting for two weeks, especially in the Usab settlement, where residents are suffering from upset stomachs.

“When you flush the toilet, the water is brown. I use the water for cooking and then boil it, but it’s still brown. I can’t even use the water for laundry.

“I have to do that in town, because the water there is clear,” she says.

Vanmooi says boiling water also adds an additional cost to household expenses.

Ernestus Axakhoeb, a resident of Otjimbingwe, says: “My son had a running stomach for two weeks, and when we started boiling the water, he got better.

“I didn’t know it was the water until you [The Namibian] called me. It makes sense, because the whole community was complaining.”

The Karibib Town Council says it will send an investigation team into the communities at the town to take samples from houses to identify problem areas, and to find the reason for the poor water quality.

In the meantime, residents are advised to continue boiling their water before consumption, and to report any observations.