The persistent drought in the Kunene Region is affecting water provision for residents.

Kunene Regional Council Acting Director for Planning and Development, Charles Uarije, made these remarks during the Regional and Local Government Administrative Leadership Session at Opuwo.

Uarije says even though the region has the Kunene River, it depends on boreholes for water provision.

With a population of more than 90,000 inhabitants, about 60% of whom live in rural settings, they depend on livestock for their livelihood.

This translates into more water needed, yet the region only has 682 active boreholes.

Kunene Region is served by the BU Central, situated in Von Bach, and the Brandberg Scheme in Otjiwarongo.

Namwater says it cannot meet the demand for water in the Kunene Region's Alpha and the Opuwo town council.

In Opuwo, water is closed daily from nine o'clock in the evening until five in the morning.

Water scarcity should, however, not be used as an excuse to drill boreholes for reasons other than domestic use, as that will require one to have a drilling licence.

The Regional and Local Government Administrative Leadership Session was hosted in preparation for the joint commemoration of World Wetlands Day and World Water Day, which Namibia will be hosting on Thursday in Opuwo.