Government admits it expects the water woes in Maun and surrounding areas to continue until 2022.
The tourist town is currently battling with a crippling shortage of six million litres a day.
Speaking in parliament this week, Minister of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services, Kefentse Mzwinila revealed the water project would take 30 months to complete.
“I am aware that this project has delayed. However, the hope and confidence I have is that finally we have reached a breakthrough – the breakthrough was actually getting the contractor on site. We have been struggling for many years in order for the contractor to actually arrive on site,” stated Mzwinila.
The daily water demand for the Maun community and nearby villages of Matlapana, Matsaudi and Boro is just under 15 million litres per day.
However, Mzwinila admitted the current water supply does not come close to meeting that demand.
“Currently, supply to Maun stands at 8 387 000 litres per day against a demand of 14 715 000 litres per day resulting in a deficit of 6 328 000 litres per day,” he announced.
In the short term, Mzwinila’s Ministry has attempted to mitigate the problem by rehabilitating boreholes. To date, he says 10 of the 11 targeted boreholes have been cleaned, although only two are pumping water for public consumption.
“The two boreholes have been installed and connected to the supply scheme. The remaining eight cleaned boreholes are awaiting pump testing, and after pump testing we will do the water quality tests. Test pumping of the remaining boreholes commenced on 21 November and is expected to be completed on the 15 December,” he said.
Meanwhile, Maun residents continue to struggle through the dry days with the clean portable water being rationed while schools, prisons and hospitals depend on bowsers.
“This is done through four water bowsers, whose total capacity is 42 cubic meters supplying water twice daily, thereby providing a total of 84 cubic meters on daily basis,” explained Mzwinila, adding his ministry is in the process of buying 30 new bowsers, with delivery expected by June 2020, of which six will be allocated to Maun as a medium-term mitigation.
“Additionally, Water Utilities Corporation is in the process of electrifying three boreholes at Kunyere WellField to improve operational efficiency. The expected time to complete electrifying of the boreholes is end of March 2020.”
