Untreated water from wells only source for Omusati villagers

TWO decades after independence villagers living just 25 kilometres from Outapi, the capital of the Omusati Region, are still using untreated water from wells for their daily needs.

Close to 1 000 people living at Onhokolo village complain that they have to dig these wells themselves. The spokesperson of the Onhokolo village community, Natangwe John Kalumbu, says the water from the wells is not clean and results in people contracting waterborne diseases such as cholera and diarrhoea. Kalumbu said a number of people, including himself, had to be treated at Outapi District Hospital and the Oshakati State Hospital because of stomach pains and diarrhoea. ‘I nearly got an operation at the Oshakati State Hospital early this year because of this dirty water at our village,’ Kalumbu said.The water from the wells is infested with all sorts of insects and bacteria, but the villagers have no choice but to drink it.’We need clean water like other Namibians. We are voting during election times, for a better life, but when it comes to clean water, we do not have a better life yet,’ said Kalumbu and added that they have approached the Anamulenge Constituency councillor, Fidelis Sheyapo, with the problem.Kalumbu said Sheyapo told them to consult with their village headman, form a committee and then approach him.But the villagers feel that the elected councillor is the right person to organise the community into a committee to address the issue of the availability of clean water and an improvement in the lives of the poor.Kalumbu said although they are sometimes supplied with water purification tablets by the Ministry of Health and Social Services, these are not always available.Sheyapo confirmed to The Namibian that he is aware of the problem of untreated water at the village and that he had a meeting with the villagers on the issue.He informed the community to set up a water committee and approach the Omusati Regional Rural Water Supply Department or his office.The head of the Omusati Regional Rural Water Supply Department, Petrus Martin, said he was not aware of the lack of clean water at the village. Martin said as far as he knows, there are three permanent water points at the village where the villagers can get water or connect their own pipelines to their homes. Martin blamed some villagers at Onhokolo for not cooperating with regional councillors and their local traditional authorities.The fact that they have taken long to establish a water point committee has delayed the process of addressing the water problems at the village.But a committee has now been formed and a water point will be opened before the end of this year.’It is up to the villagers to cooperate with their councillor and their headmen to establish water point committees that will represent them in their water provision problems,’ said Martin.When approached, the headman of Onhokolo village, Frans Naimhwaka, confirmed the daily struggles of the villagers with water from the wells.