Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform Calle Schlettwein on Friday launched the refurbished Oshakati purification plant to meet the water demand of the growing population in some of the northern regions.
In a statement availed to Nampa on Sunday, the minister said the plant is the heart of water supply to the northern part of the country and has a nominal capacity of 40 000 cubic meters per day which supplies potable water to the urban centres and rural areas of the Oshana, Ohangwena and Oshikoto regions. Therefore, the plant supplies an estimated 70 per cent of the treated drinking water to these areas, serving over 40 per cent of Namibian population.
He said due to the inadequate capacity of the existing plant, there is now a need for a new additional plant of 50 000 cubic meters per day to be designed, constructed and commissioned, and the combined capacity will be 90 000 cubic meters per day – more than double the current capacity.
“The Government of the Republic of Namibia has received financing from the African Development Bank (AfDB) towards the cost of the Namibia Water Sector Support Programme. A portion of these funds is to be expended on the provision of engineering consultancy services for the Oshakati Purification Plant Extension. The Namibia Water Corporation (NamWater) is the executing agency for this project,” said Schlettwein.
He added that NamWater has procured engineering consultancy services for the implementation of the Oshakati Purification Plant Extension project from Shah Technical Consultants Private Ltd, and the consultant was selected after a rigorous selection process that commenced with a request for expression of interest on 16 December 2020. Shortlisting of firms, request for proposals, technical and financial evaluation and ultimately selection of the consultant was carried out thereafter in accordance with AfDB procedures.
“The objective of this assignment is for the consultant to design the required water supply infrastructure, carry out environmental and social impact assessment studies, compile tender documents, carry out contract administration and construction supervision of the new water treatment plant at Oshakati,” stated Schlettwein.
Source: The Namibian Press Agency
