By: Nghiinomenwa-vali Hangala
Adaptive Building Land Construction CC, in joint venture with China State Engineering Corporation (Southern Africa), will upgrade the 36 Kilometre Naute–Keetmanshoop water pipeline for the next 18 months.
This was revealed during the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Naute–Keetmanshoop Water Pipeline Replacement Project (Phase 1) this week.
The pipeline, which was commissioned in 1972, has been characterized by increasing frequency of leaks and pipe bursts, and the replacement will cost over N$219.7 million to be fully financed by NamWater.
According to NamWater chief executive officer, Abraham Nehemia, the Naute–Keetmanshoop water supply scheme, commissioned over five decades ago, has been the main water supply for Keetmanshoop.
However, the upgrading of the Naute-Keetmanshoop pipeline is a decisive step to modernize the vital system, to ensure that reliable water reaches every household, business, and institution in Keetmanshoop and its surrounding areas for generations to come.
He said the aging steel pipeline, which has served since 1971, has reached a point where its deterioration poses a serious threat to water security.
“Despite previous partial replacements, the remaining sections have become increasingly vulnerable to leaks and bursts, disrupting the seamless flow of water and risking the livelihoods of our people,” Nehemia said.
The new 36-kilometre pipeline will be constructed with 450-millimetre durable Glass Reinforced Polyester (GRP) pipes alongside the existing line.
Once completed, the new infrastructure is expected to enhance the reliability and sustainability of water supply to Keetmanshoop and neighbouring communities for many decades to come.
Furthermore, the project is expected to catalyze local economic development, according to Nehemia.
During its implementation, approximately 50 local jobs will be created.
“We must maximize local content and capacity-building to ensure that this project benefits our people directly,” Nehemia told the contractors.
Speaking at the same event, Dawid Gertze, Governor of the //Kharas Region, noted that the region’s economic activity and growth depend heavily on the availability of reliable water supplies.
“The aging pipeline has posed challenges, but today, with this project’s commencement, we reaffirm our commitment to overcoming these challenges and building a resilient future,” he stated.
Gertze added that the project’s successful delivery will ensure that clean, safe water flows seamlessly to the communities, enabling economic activities, supporting agriculture, and improving public health.
In her address the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reforms, Inge Zaamwani-Kamwi stated that water infrastructure is often invisible to society because it quietly performs its essential function day after day.
“Communities rarely celebrate a pipeline when it is operating smoothly, yet everyone immediately feels the consequences when it fails,” she noted, saying that is precisely why responsible leadership cannot afford to wait for crises before acting.
“Responsible leadership anticipates future challenges, prepares for them, and invests in solutions long before circumstances become emergencies,” said Zaamwani.
She also noted that the investment comes at a time when the government has embarked on the implementation of the Sixth National Development Plan, NDP6, which places renewed emphasis on various infrastructure development, economic transformation, and climate resilience.
As a key enabler of agriculture, industry, tourism, mining, public health and human settlement, water security occupies a central place within this national vision, she stated.
She added that projects such as the upgrading of the aging water infrastructure translate the aspirations of NDP6 into tangible realities that communities can experience and benefit from.
erastsus@thevillager.com.na
