Africa-Press – Namibia. The Namibia Water Corporation (NamWater) last week launched the long-awaited water treatment plant extension project at Oshakati.
The project, valued at N$743 million, marks one of the largest public water infrastructure investments in the country.
Speaking at the launch, water minister Inge Zaamwani said the Oshakati water purification plant expansion reflects the government’s policy of integrated water resources management.
She emphasised partnerships with local authorities and the private sector to deliver climate-smart and inclusive water solutions.
Zaamwani urged residents to pay their water bills, stressing that NamWater operates on a cost-recovery basis.
“When we don’t pay, we don’t maintain,” she warned. She further urged communities to protect the infrastructure from vandalism and theft. “This project is yours. Let us protect it. Water crimes are crimes against the people,” she advised.
At the same event, NamWater CEO Abraham Nehemia described the milestone as more than just a construction commencement but a turning point in Namibia’s water security narrative.
“The construction is expected to take 26 months, during which NamWater has committed to ensuring local content and participation. The project includes sub-contracting to Namibian SMEs and skills transfer as part of its broader contract management framework.
“This project is not just about infrastructure; it is also about empowering local capacity,” Nehemia emphasised.
Double Capacity
He added that the current Oshakati purification plant, commissioned in 1996, has a capacity of 40 000 cubic metres per day.
However, with growing populations and expanding towns such as Oshakati, Ongwediva and Ondangwa, demand has outstripped supply, particularly during dry seasons.
“The extension, under the Namibia Water Sector Support Programme and funded through a loan from the African Development Bank (AfDB), will double the plant’s capacity to 90 000 cubic metres per day,” he said.
Nehemia said the upgraded facility will incorporate modern treatment processes, including flash mixing, sedimentation, filtration, disinfection, sludge handling, and water stabilisation to address corrosion, ensuring compliance with new national water quality standards.
Under Pressure
He further noted that once completed, the plant will significantly improve water security across the central northern regions, including Oshana, Ohangwena and Oshikoto.
“These regions currently rely heavily on a 160-kilometre canal and pipeline system that transports water from the Calueque Dam in southern Angola, a system built in the 1960s and now under immense pressure,” he said.
Oshana governor Hofni Ipinge welcomed the development as a bold response to urgent regional water challenges.
Water Investment
He added that the new plant would lay the foundation for improved health services, education, food security and job creation throughout the northern regions.
Additionally, Oshakati mayor Leonard Hango said the extension could not come at a better time for the town, which has evolved from a place of sand and storms into a regional hub of commerce, education and administration.
“With this significant water investment now underway, NamWater and its partners have made it clear that water security is not just an infrastructure challenge; it is a matter of national dignity and sustainable development,” he said.
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