The leader of the Landless Peoples Movement (LPM), Bernadus Swartbooi, is convinced that the town council of Rundu can improve its infrastructure, despite outstanding debt by residents running into millions of dollars.
He said this at an LPM rally at Rundu.
Rundu residents owe the town council N$370 million.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform's (MAWLR) head of rural water supply and sanitation in Oshikoto, Stevenson Tuukondjele, said that by the look of things, they might experience water crises worse than last year.
Tuukondjele said that residents of the Eengodi, Okankolo, and Nehale lyaMpingana constituencies in the Oshikoto Region might experience a more serious water crisis this year compared to the one they experienced last year.
NamWater is set to discontinue releasing water for irrigation in the Hardap Irrigation Scheme if limited water inflow into the Hardap Dam persists.
In the wake of poor rainfall in its catchment area, the dam's water level stood at 12.8% on Tuesday.
Namwater's manager for the southern business unit, Franklin Kavita, gave assurance that water for human consumption will be given priority over other needs.
Otavi Town Council Chief Executive Officer Wodibo Haulofu has called out NamWater for installing a water metre at the Otavi fountain.
Haulofu expressed his dissatisfaction during the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Human Resources and Community Development hearing.
Otavi owes NamWater N$55 million.
The town has been getting its water from the fountain since 1987; however, NamWater has put up a structure with eight valves.
One of these leads to Otavi Town Council and seven to a private farm.
Otjozondjupa Governor James Uerikua says the regional council agrees to the writing off of historic water debts in certain cases.
Uerikua was speaking at a meeting with the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Human Resources and Community Development, which is currently hosting a hearing on historic write-offs of water and electricity debts.
Uerikua says local authorities with access to natural water sources must strengthen themselves to provide water to their communities.
The Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform, Anna Shiweda, stated that the water crisis being experienced in the northern-central regions has been partially resolved.
Shiweda was responding to concerns raised by Rally for Democratic Party (RDP) MP Kennedy Shekupakela regarding the severity of the water situation in the Oshikoto Region.
NamWater is working to restore water supply to the affected communities in the Oshikoto and Ohangwena regions.
Thus far, the water utility has made significant progress in resolving the recent water supply decrease due to critical maintenance work carried out on its infrastructure, which resulted in water interruptions from the source downstream to the two regions.
In a media statement, NamWater announced that the water level in the canal at Ogongo has now risen to 880 mili-metres, exceeding the usual 750 mili-metre level.
Residents of Oluthalweegolo, Uuvudhiya, and Ondjungulume villages are rejoicing as the revamped Water Canal's water flow has brought relief to both humans and livestock.
The Olushandja-Uuvudhiya canal's revamp is being spearheaded by NamWater and the Oshana, Omusati, and Oshikoto regional councils, all of which are set to benefit from it.
nbc News Reporter Ndapanda Shuuya has the details.
Residents of the ||Kharas Region have thrown their support behind the motion on the writing-off of water and electricity debts that local authorities owe bulk suppliers, NamWater and NamPower.
They shared their sentiments at the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Resources and Community Development public hearing at Keetmanshoop.
Defaulters owe NamWater N$1.7 billion, while the debt owed to NamPower stands at N$1.5 billion.
Figures revealed that local authorities are the biggest defaulters.
