Windhoek invests N$1.6 billion to secure water supply
The City of Windhoek will inject N$1.6 billion into upgrading its ageing water reclamation infrastructure to bring it in line with international best practices while ensuring long-term water security.
Speaking at a recent stakeholder engagement aimed at updating residents on the council’s progress, acting executive for infrastructure Rowan Adams said the upgrade would reduce the City’s reliance on natural dams during the rainy season and boost reclaimed water supply.
“If you look at the water and wastewater resources, council has achieved a milestone to drive the process of augmenting water supply in the fight for water supply security," Adams said.
"Council has, through the central government, secured funding for the second direct potable reclamation plant to the tune of N$745 million. This will put the City in the position to obviously reduce our reliance on the dams. While the dams are a bit emptier, we will be able to pump in more water from a reclamation source,” he added.
The upgrade of the plant will increase the current reclamation capacity from 20 000 cubic metres of water per day to 30 000 cubic metres, he said.
According to him, council also secured funding through the central government for the upgrade of our wastewater treatment plant.
“Without the upgrade of the wastewater treatment plant, we will not have sufficient water quality and quantity to feed the reclamation scheme to the tune of N$931 million,” Adams noted.
He added: “This will now put us in the position to now make sure the infrastructure is environmentally compliant and that we produce water to feed our scheme."
In the pipeline
Adams said the two projects are being funded through the German development bank, Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW), but did not provide a timeline for the planned refurbishment of the reclamation infrastructure.
Plans to upgrade the facility date back to the mid-2010s, when the City announced at a monthly council meeting that it was considering setting up a special purpose vehicle in the hope of attracting private sector financing for operational expenses, including the then-estimated N$450 million refurbishment of the plant.
Commissioned in 1968, the 57-year-old plant has been hailed as a model for treating domestic wastewater. The plant last underwent major rehabilitation in 2001, while efforts are now being made to cater to the demands of a growing population.
Speaking at a recent stakeholder engagement aimed at updating residents on the council’s progress, acting executive for infrastructure Rowan Adams said the upgrade would reduce the City’s reliance on natural dams during the rainy season and boost reclaimed water supply.
“If you look at the water and wastewater resources, council has achieved a milestone to drive the process of augmenting water supply in the fight for water supply security," Adams said.
"Council has, through the central government, secured funding for the second direct potable reclamation plant to the tune of N$745 million. This will put the City in the position to obviously reduce our reliance on the dams. While the dams are a bit emptier, we will be able to pump in more water from a reclamation source,” he added.
The upgrade of the plant will increase the current reclamation capacity from 20 000 cubic metres of water per day to 30 000 cubic metres, he said.
According to him, council also secured funding through the central government for the upgrade of our wastewater treatment plant.
“Without the upgrade of the wastewater treatment plant, we will not have sufficient water quality and quantity to feed the reclamation scheme to the tune of N$931 million,” Adams noted.
He added: “This will now put us in the position to now make sure the infrastructure is environmentally compliant and that we produce water to feed our scheme."
In the pipeline
Adams said the two projects are being funded through the German development bank, Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW), but did not provide a timeline for the planned refurbishment of the reclamation infrastructure.
Plans to upgrade the facility date back to the mid-2010s, when the City announced at a monthly council meeting that it was considering setting up a special purpose vehicle in the hope of attracting private sector financing for operational expenses, including the then-estimated N$450 million refurbishment of the plant.
Commissioned in 1968, the 57-year-old plant has been hailed as a model for treating domestic wastewater. The plant last underwent major rehabilitation in 2001, while efforts are now being made to cater to the demands of a growing population.
