Investors sought for desalination plant Desalination was heavily punted at the Invest in Namibia International Conference as a viable investment option. A planned 25 million m3 per annum capacity plant was this week presented to potential investors.
The Ministry of Water, Agriculture and Forestry would drive the project with the assistance of a private partner, according to finance minister Calle Schlettwein.
Explaining the urgency of developing a desalination plant, the minister said: “with the backdrop of persistent drought conditions and continuing expansion of economic activities in the western and central regions of the country it is clear that sources of supply of potable and industrial use water need to be expanded. In line with this requirement, the Harambee Prosperity Plan has mandated the development of a 25 million m3 per annum capacity desalination plant at the west coast of Namibia on a public-private partnership basis.” According to Schlettwein, the development of a desalination project will be a significant investment.
“In this scenario, it will be useful to have a project arrangement where the design, construction and operation risks are allocated to a competent private firm and NamWater or alternative,” he said. Plans for a desalination plant date as far back as the early 90s when NamWater commissioned a study for the construction of its own plant. Rössing Uranium Namibia has also announced plans to construct its own desalination plant. Israeli investors Shimon Dadon and Shay Shoham from the World Youth Bank Group told Namibian Sun on the sidelines of the investment forum that the country has great potential, adding they are keenly following developments around water infrastructure.
“We believe there is great promise and we would like to get involved in some projects. We would not fly 12 hours if we did not think there were no opportunities here,” Dadon said.
“If you look at Israel, it is very much like Namibia, albeit larger. We have been using desalinated water and we are the pioneers in this field.”
They are optimistic that Israeli-backed technology could be used locally with ease.
Shoham further revealed that they had already engaged with water officials.
OGONE TLHAGE