Africa-Press – Namibia. FARMERS at Blouputz in the //Kharas region received solar powered water pumps on Wednesday from the //Kharas Regional Council to increase access to clean water.
Blouputz is located 40km north of Keetmanshoop on the B1 road towards Windhoek.
Councillor for Berseba Constituency Jeremiah Goeieman said these farmers used to have diesel engines for their water points but they were damaged and the community started digging their own boreholes.
Goeieman said this proved to be dangerous, as the water is saline and unfit for human consumption, while there was the risk of someone falling in the makeshift borehole and injuring themselves.
“The regional council felt this was unacceptable and decided to rather install solar powered pumps, as these communities need water both for themselves and their animals,” said Goeieman.
The value of the solar powered water pump is N$40 000. It was installed with the assistance of the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Resettlement.
Blouputz is home to about 50 families whose main source of income is communal farming.
Namas Kooper, a farmer in the area, thanked the council for the initiative and said the water will assist them with their plans to start communal gardens to supplement their income.
