Namibia plans borehole projects to address water shortage

Namibia has ironed out a borehole project to address water shortage in the central areas of the southwestern African country.

Minister of Agriculture John Mutorwa said in a statement that the development of a Windhoek borehole scheme is set to come in operation in the coming months.

The scheme is expected to address the expected shortfall of water and to meet the demand of Central Areas in Namibia (CAN), according to the statement.

Mutorwa said the drilling program is well under way and the first 14 production boreholes, that will form the core of the supply system to come in operation by December 2016, have already been drilled and tested.

Furthermore, he said contractors have also been appointed to do the required installation work and to link these boreholes with the existing supply network in and around Windhoek to be able supply in the shortfall of water expected.

"This emergency undertaking is on schedule and the bulk of the boreholes should come into operation by Dec. 2016," Mutorwa added.

Currently, water sources that supply to the Central Areas in Namibia, like the Omatako dam is already dry, while water levels in both the Von Bach and Swakoppoort dams are rapidly reaching their dead storage levels. Endit