Africa-Press – Namibia. The long-awaited Rundu Bulk Water Supply project is rapidly nearing the finish line, with overall progress officially reaching 79%.
The N$665 million initiative is set to transform water security for thousands in the Kavango East and West regions by its expected commissioning in August.
The project is under the Namibia Water Corporation (NamWater).
Critical pipeline extensions designed to bring relief to surrounding communities are nearly finished.
“NamWater confirms that the 17.4 km pipeline to Mupini, the 13.6 km line to Masivi and the 14.4 km extension to Kayengona are all 94% complete. Only minor works, including connection chambers and final testing, remain before these sections are fully operational,’’ said NamWater spokesperson Lot Ndamanomhata.
In a move to phase out unreliable borehole and river abstraction systems, NamWater is already looking ahead to Rundu Extension Phase 3.
This next phase will extend supply lines further to Ndiyona in the east, Nkurenkuru in the west and Mururani in the south, ensuring a sustainable, cost-effective water supply for all en-route customers. Despite the bulk supply progress, concerns remain regarding the internal reticulation infrastructure managed by the Rundu Town Council (RTC). When asked about the status of the collaboration with RTC, Ndamanomhata said the shortcomings in the reticulation components are known and were communicated to RTC. He could not, however, confirm RTC’s level of preparation and readiness.
“These downstream works should be attended to by RTC as a matter of urgency to ensure optimal water supply system performance. This will allow the intended beneficiaries – customers supplied through RTC’s system – to realise the benefits of an upgraded bulk water supply capacity and ensure the sustainability of the investments,’’ he said.
Ndamanomhata said the required upgrades, along with the associated cost implications for pipelines and elevated storage reservoirs, were shared with RTC to assist in securing possible financing from central government.
He said NamWater has identified significant shortcomings in the town’s internal pipelines and storage reservoirs that could hinder the benefits of the new plant.
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