Government is planning to phase out septic tanks and pit latrines in Maun following completion of the ongoing P1.9 billion sanitation project that is covering the whole tourism town.
Speaking at the ongoing sanitation workshop in Maun on Wednesday, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Lands and Water Affairs, Kekgonne Baipoledi, noted that it is in fact the government’s expectation for customers to connect to the sewage lines and move away from using septic tanks and pit-latrines which are prone to causing underground water pollutions due to seepages.
He further contended that the old sanitation methods are costly as they require regular emptying.
“You will agree with me that due to numerous on-going socio-economic activities in the North-West, including tourism and mining among others, the water resources in the area are continuously exposed to pollution risk,” he said before explaining that, “It is therefore important that sanitation is properly managed in the area to prevent Bovine measles. This will in turn ensure that the economic value of the area is sustained.”
The government is investing significant resources developing sewerage facilities, but Baipoledi maintains that these facilities across the country experience abuse due to dumping of solid waste such as scrap, used tyres and none compliance by companies to service agreements, more especially industrial waste which is not in compliance with the agreement.
“Such misuse result in reflective performance of the infrastructure, hence the need to educate the beneficiary on proper use for sustainability,” he added.
At national level two other sanitation projects are ongoing in Kanye and Moshupa and more according to Baipoledi will be constructed during the national development Plan 12.
He therefore noted that the workshop should aim to bring about change in behavioral pattern of the people of Botswana and effect improvement in sanitation policy, “to change the cultural ethos of the people and the Government will have to work together with other stakeholders including the community.”
What’s the deadline of the project