Windhoek running dry

Windhoek running dry The City of Windhoek will remain reliant on the use of borehole water until the three dams supplying the city have received inflows. Water rationing is also expected to stay in place in the interim period.

The Von Bach and Swakoppoort dams are both at critically low levels and both are expected to stop delivering water any day now.

Von Bach's water becomes unusable due to sludge when the dam is at 4.3% while Swakoppoort become unusable at 2.3%. The dams currently hold 5%.

According to a source in the City of Windhoek who chose to remain anonymous, drilling activities are progressing well but it was emphasised that security of water supply could only be achieved if Windhoek residents kept to the outlined water savings targets.

“We are going to receive less water, emergency water. We do not have any water resources anymore.”

He indicated that drilling activities carried out had progressed well.

“A lot of work has been done, not all boreholes have been drilled but at least 50% of the new boreholes have been drilled. There can however easily be a fault but we are satisfied with what we have achieved.”

He indicated that water rationing would be the new norm.

“We need to really need to achieve our savings.” He noted that the City would close all illegal carwashes in 2017 as well as to introduce two additional measures to help support government's Save Water Campaign. We have hope.”

Another source within the City of Windhoek told Namibian Sun that water supply was guaranteed for at least two years. This was achievable because drilling activities had been largely successful and the southern aquifer had bolstered supply efforts.

“We have drawn a few boreholes and currently extract a lot of water from the aquifer. The majority of the water is drawn from boreholes and the aquifer.” What it meant for future supply he could not say, only indicating that based on modelling, Windhoek would possibly have water for roughly two years. “We cannot say with certainty. We can draw up to two years then we will have to recharge the sources naturally.”

The source could not deny or confirm whether Windhoek was securing water from the Von Bach Dam or the Kartsveld basin. According to him, NamWater held the responsibility for the supply of those water sources. He could not also verify whether the Von Bach Dam was supplying any water at this time.



OGONE TLHAGE