Access to a reliable water supply and proper sanitation remains a distant dream for many residents of Grunau Settlement in the ||Kharas Region. 

The sleepy settlement’s residents are rationed water in the mornings, and some still rely on buckets or practise open defecation when nature calls.

Paulina Hartbees, a resident of Grunau, highlighted the gravity of the situation: “The lack of toilets, compounded by persistent water shortages, remains a major challenge for residents. It appears the water problem also hampers efforts to provide proper sanitation. Visitors to Grunau are often stunned to learn the community has no toilets, unable to believe residents have no access to basic sanitation.”

Karl Matheus, another resident, explained additional challenges faced by the community: “Water is a major challenge. Land is also another issue, as most of it is privately owned, and we have to buy plots from individuals.”

The Administrative Control Officer of the Grunau settlement office, Patrick Tiboth, said plans are underway to address these concerns.

“First, the water. The immediate plan is to drill additional boreholes because, at the moment, we only have three boreholes supplying water to the settlement. Second, sanitation. Just this year, a fully functional sewerage network was constructed and completed. However, out of the 250-plus households, less than 15 are currently connected to the sewerage line,” Tiboth explained.

He noted that the priority now is to connect more households to the sewerage grid. He also said the implementation of the sewage project’s second phase, which includes building a sewage pond, is expected to commence soon.

Tiboth took the opportunity to urge Karasburg East constituents to turn out in large numbers for the upcoming Regional Councils and Local Authority elections.