Staff Reporter
“WINDHOEK is facing a water shortage situation, declared as Category C Water Scarcity since June 2023 and will soon be forced to declare a more severe Category (D Severe Water Scarcity), in line with the Council’s adopted Water Management Plan (2019). The shift to Category D Severe Water Scarcity will require the City of Windhoek to intensify Water Demand Management Strategies to try to avoid a water crisis.”
The above are the words of Dieter Tolke, Engineering Technician of Water at the City of Windhoek municipal council, who explained that the primary reason for the escalating situation is the insufficient rainfall received and the critically low levels of water in the three central dam systems (Omatako dam 1%, S. Von Bach dam 12%, and Swakoppoort dam 41%) managed by NamWater.
Tolke explained that the available surface water is currently more than 50% less than the same time last year.
“Windhoek’s water supply relies on three main sources, each playing a crucial role in meeting the city’s demand. The main source is the surface water supplied by NamWater, which constitutes a significant portion of the supply. This main source is augmented by borehole water sourced from the Windhoek aquifer, which serves as an essential emergency water resource during water-scarce periods. Reclaimed water is another source that augments the surface and borehole sources, and its supply performance is dependent on these two sources and has been an essential contributor to the water supply for Windhoek. However, with the current water scarcity, Windhoek’s dependence on boreholes and reclaimed water has increased to meet the demand, emphasizing the urgent need for conservation efforts. We should have saved and reduced water consumption by more than 10% since June 2023 already, in order not to run dry before or during the next rainy season,” Tolke said.
He added that the response from Windhoek inhabitants to the savings target has been poor since its inception, instead of reducing consumption by 10%, the consumption has increased by 5 to 10% on average.
“Under normal supply conditions, NamWater supplies approximately 75% of Windhoek’s freshwater needs, with borehole water contributing 5% as it is kept activated to preserve the infrastructure, and reclaimed water making up the remaining 20%. However, due to the drastic reduction in dam levels, NamWater’s contribution has been significantly curtailed, dropping to just 40%. Consequently, there has been a shift in the reliance on emergency water sources, with 40% of water now being abstracted from the aquifer (the highest aquifer abstraction in history) and reclaimed water still accounting for 20% of the supply,” Tolke said.
He noted that the anticipation for good rainfall in the catchment areas of the three dams has not materialized during this rainy season, and low rainfall conditions have continued.
“The City of Windhoek is now humbly appealing to its residents and businesses to utilize water responsibly and wisely, and hoping for a positive response in this regard. Every drop counts in these challenging times, and excessive water usage could accelerate the City’s descent into a full-blown water crisis. As water flows into the sewer system, it underscores the critical need for water savings required efficient management and conservation throughout the entire water cycle. The situation demands a collective effort from all stakeholders, including government institutions, residents, businesses, and industries. Implementing water-saving measures, such as fixing leaks, using water-efficient appliances, and practicing mindful consumption habits, is imperative to mitigate the impact of this water scarcity, to avoid a crisis,” Tolke concluded.
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