Schlettwein motivates for water programmes

This was said by agriculture minister Calle Schlettwein when he sought approval of the budget for water-related programmes in the National Assembly this month.Key activities under Vote 38, whose budget proposal is N$650 449 678 (about 0,89% of total appropriated expenditure), are water resources management, rural water infrastructure and sanitation programmes, as well as the construction of water supply security infrastructure.The water resources management programme has a total budget of N$47 484 934.“Under this programme, the ministry will maintain and upgrade the water resources monitoring network and improve the knowledge and understanding of national water resources,” said Schlettwein.This includes the quantification of groundwater resources in Namibia and developing the Cuvelai Etosha Basin management strategy, he added.Schlettwein said the ministry would also jointly manage shared transboundary waters to ensure Namibia's share is secure. According to the minister, N$425 263 743 is budgeted for the rural water infrastructure and sanitation programme.“Rural water supply needs to be strengthened to address the needs of communities in small towns and growth centres, schools and rural health centres.” He said planned activities include the construction of ground and surface water supply schemes for rural communities and schools, the construction and rehabilitation of stand-alone water supply systems consisting of solar-powered boreholes and gravity-fed water systems, and rehabilitation of shallow and deep wells for livestock watering and food production.“These specific activities are earmarked for this year with some implemented with additional funding from the AfDB (African Development Bank) . However, there remains long-term funding gaps for water programmes, if Namibia is to provide water for all by 2030,” he said.Schlettwein said other activities are the rehabilitation of the Katima Mulilo-Kongola water scheme, and the construction of the Ruacana south and Otjombinde water supply schemes.“The ministry will also construct the Katima Mulilo-Kongola water scheme for 22 000 beneficiaries, the King Kauluma-Omutsegwonime scheme for 4 000 people, and the Katima Mulilo-Ngoma scheme to benefit 12 900 people,” he said.Other schemes for construction are the Katima Mulilo-Ngoma scheme phase 4 to supply 8 700 people, and the Katima Mulilo reservoir to expand the storage capacity for the Katima-Ngoma and Kongola supply schemes.According to the minister, N$147 701 000 is budgeted for the third programme – the construction of water supply security infrastructure. “These projects were identified as top priority to be pursued and are in line with the presidential directive and the Harambee Prosperity Plan,” he said.They include the Ohangwena No, 2 Well Field (Omafo-Eenhana extension) – a first phase development of the Ohangwena II aquifer system to mainly cater for the areas between and around Oshandi and Eenhana.“The new desalination project, which entails the taking over and upgrading of the desalination plant of Orano at Wlotzkasbaken or the development of a new one as per the recommendations of the feasibility study and Cabinet,” said the minister.Also lined up is the doubling of the existing Gammams direct potable water reclamation works at Goreangab, and the upgrading of certain components of the existing sewerage works to provide sufficient volumes of raw intake water, he said.“The Oshakati purification plant extension, Rundu purification plant extension, Kuiseb Collector 2, Schwarzekuppe Swakopmund phase 3 and Omdel-Wlotzkasbaken pipeline replacement are also planned,” he added.“I would like to emphasise that over the long term, the total estimated cost for the bulk and rural water projects adds up to N$10,5 billion. “The allocated budget for this year will not be adequate to implement the envisaged programmes and projects and needs to be supplemented with extra budgetary resources,” the minister said.Email: matthew@namibian.com.na