The Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform, Ruthy Masake, says that despite efforts to drill boreholes for communities in remote areas, saline water remains a persistent challenge.
Namibia's overall dam storage has declined slightly, with the country's major dams now at 80.9% of total capacity, down from 81.1% recorded last week, according to the latest NamWater weekly dam bulletin.
The increasing demand for water is straining the two boreholes in the Neu Samarou Settlement, located in the Kombat area of the Otjozondjupa Region, as the population has surged to approximately 2,000 residents.
Residents queue for water every day, as the two boreholes no longer meet the demand.
NUDO Leader Vetaruhe Kandorozu accused the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform (MAFWLR) of sourcing water from areas where they fail to provide clean water to their local residents, particularly the Kavango Region and various boreholes in the Kunene Region.
Oshana Governor Hofni Iipinge visited the construction site of the NamWater Oshakati Treatment Plant to evaluate the progress made and to gain insight into the advancement of the region's capital projects.
The three-dam system that provides water to the Central Areas of Namibia is said to be in a strong position.
Currently, the Von Bach, Swakoppoort and Omatako dams that supply the central area of Namibia have a combined storage of about 82 million cubic metres, representing 53.1% of their total capacity.
The shortage of classrooms, water supply challenges and a lack of staff accommodation were among the concerns raised by stakeholders at Mangetti Dune during a visit by a delegation from the Office of the Prime Minister.
Following public concerns over discoloured water reported in parts of the capital, City of Windhoek says the issue is linked to the recent supply interruptions caused by damage to the NamWater pipeline from Von Bach.
Local authorities owe Namwater more than N$7.5 billion, with some diverting government funds meant for prepaid water meters to other uses, Urban and Rural Development Minister James Sankwasa revealed in the National Assembly.
The Gobabis municipality has commenced the transition from conventional meters for both water and electricity to pre-paid meters.
This exercise is done to help it meet the municipality's financial obligations with bulk service providers such as NamPower and NamWater.
