Eenhana: President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah on Thursday officially inaugurated the Ohangwena II Wellfield Water Supply Scheme project at Eenhana in the Ohangwena region. Nandi-Ndaitwah said the project, estimated at a cost of N.dollars 250 million, will optimise existing schemes and ensure a reliable and sustainable water supply to meet the anticipated target demand of 10 million litres per day (MLD) by the year 2037.
According to Namibia Press Agency, the project is part of the Namibia Water Sector Support Programme (WSSP) and represents a comprehensive solution to the growing water needs of Eenhana town and its surrounding communities. Eenhana is facing rapid population growth, which is putting pressure on already scarce water resources.
‘What we are inaugurating today will bring about reliable access to safe drinking water for the areas between Omafo-Eenhana and Omakango-Onambutu-Eenhana, aligning with the government’s infrastructural development goals to foster socio-economic growth for the national development agenda. Without access to clean and reliable water, our aspirations for progress and shared prosperity would remain unfulfilled. The power of water as a catalyst for development cannot be overstated,’ she said.
Nandi-Ndaitwah further announced that the second phase of the Namibia WSSP II will commence soon and will cover three key projects – the Omundaungilo-Omutsegwonime Bulk Water Pipeline Project, the water treatment package plants project to improve immediate access to potable water, and the Ohangwena Aquifer Climate Resilient Water Supply Project.
These projects ‘form a comprehensive and forward-looking response to Namibia’s water challenges. They embody our national commitment to ensuring that no Namibian is left behind, and that every household, no matter how remote, can rely on clean and safe water,’ said the president.
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform Inge Zaamwani said the ministry is implementing a comprehensive response strategy across affected regions to provide sustainable and durable solutions to water challenges that negatively impact communities nationwide.
‘We have identified 75 drilled boreholes with suitable water for human consumption that remain uninstalled and non-functional. We have therefore prioritised the installation of these boreholes with appropriate infrastructure, and the rehabilitation of old boreholes as well as the construction of 14 earth dams in each region,’ said Zaamwani.