By: Loise Shiimi
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah announced that the Ohangwena II Water Supply Scheme Project is estimated to cost N$250 million.
She made this statement during the project’s inauguration on Thursday in Eenhana, in the Ohangwena Region.
The President underscored that the initiative aims to enhance existing water supply schemes and ensure a reliable and sustainable water source, targeting a projected demand of 10 million litres per day by the year 2037.
“This project is not being implemented in isolation; it is an integral part of the national water management system. It encompasses the Ohangwena II Aquifer, the new purification plant in Oshakati, the new purification plant in Rundu, and numerous related projects being carried out by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Land Reform,” she explained.
Nandi-Ndaitwah detailed that the Ohangwena II Water Supply Project is designed to provide dependable access to safe drinking water for communities along the Omafo-Eenhana route and the Omakango-Onambutu-Eenhana area.
This aligns with the government’s infrastructure development goals to promote socio-economic growth as part of the national development agenda.
Reflecting on water access since Independence, Nandi-Ndaitwah stated that the government has prioritised water security as central to its developmental framework.
“From Kunene to //Kharas, and from the Zambezi to the Atlantic coast, we are dedicated to ensuring that every community, school, hospital, and household has access to clean and safe water,” she stated.
Additionally, she announced the coming launch of the second phase of the Namibia Water Sector Support Programme (WSSP II). This phase will include initiatives such as the Omundaungilo-Omutsegwonime Bulk Water Pipeline Project.
The pipeline infrastructure will convey water from the Ohangwena II Aquifer along its route to Omutsegwonime in the Oshikoto Region.
“Once operational, this pipeline will resolve long-standing water shortages and enhance supply reliability for communities between these two areas,” she noted.
Another project is the Water Treatment Package Plants Project, which aims to improve immediate access to potable water. This initiative will install 15 water treatment units at existing ministerial boreholes throughout the Ohangwena and Oshikoto regions.
These facilities will treat saline groundwater, rendering it safe for human consumption, enhancing water quality and availability for thousands of households.
Furthermore, she mentioned the Ohangwena Aquifer Climate Resilient Water Supply Project, which is designed to leverage the potential of the Ohangwena II Aquifer to provide sustainable, climate-resilient water solutions.
“This project seeks to expand groundwater infrastructure, reduce reliance on susceptible surface water sources, and introduce solar-powered treatment systems where necessary. By developing decentralised well fields and a 240-kilometre pipeline network, the project is set to benefit over 40,000 individuals in northern regions,” she indicated.
Nandi-Ndaitwah also shared that the multifaceted project is estimated to cost N$4.8 billion.
In the meantime, Ohangwena Region governor, Kadiva Hamutumwa, reported that approximately 80% of residents in the Okongo constituency now have access to potable water.
“This development has allowed the region to actively invest in the agricultural sector, thereby working towards ensuring food security. However, constituencies such as Epembe, Oshikunde, Eenhana, and Omundaungilo largely rely on underground water sources, where many areas are affected by poor water quality – either saline or with high fluoride concentrations,” she noted.
Moreover, she shared that to guarantee access to potable water, regional leadership is collaborating closely with NamWater to equip existing boreholes with desalination plants.
“This initiative will ensure that the Ohangwena Region fulfills its role in achieving the sixth National Development Plan (NDP 6) objectives regarding access to potable water for domestic, agricultural, and industrial purposes,” she added.
