40 Kavango villages still without drinking water
JEMIMA BEUKESWINDHOEK
A recent parliamentary visit to several regions found that, 32 years after independence, a total of 40 villages in the Kavango regions were still without clean drinking water and depended solely on traditional wells, and rain water for themselves and their livestock.Government’s rural water supply directorate is derailed by a lack of vehicles and needed capacity to maintain community boreholes some of which are not fit for human and animal consumption, the parliamentary committee found.
The National Council standing committee on agriculture, environment and natural resources visited the Zambezi, Kavango, Ohangwena, Oshikoto, Oshana, Omusati, Kunene and Erongo regions between February and March this year.
In the Zambezi region the greatest issue is the fact that despite the access to great mass of water the region has not a single irrigation project with the exception of the Kalimbeza Rice Project which is grossly underfunded.
In the Kavango regions, access to potable water remains a serious challenge which makes local communities heavily dependent on the water of the Okavango River, putting them at increased risk of crocodile attacks.
According to their committee’s report, since the dawn of independence a total of 40 villages in the Kavango regions have been living without potable water and access their water from traditional wells.
To make matters worse, in the Kavango East there is no water tank truck to ferry water to communities in distress while the majority of the directorate’s vehicles are grounded to be auctioned with only three being functional.
Meanwhile, in the Ohangwena region it was found that while almost 80% of the community has access to clean drinking water, the water infrastructure such as pipes and pumping machines are outdated.
Vehicles for this region is also a challenge with 2013 being the last time vehicles were procured for the directorate office.
The report further found that the prolonged drought in the Kunene region and the difficult terrain staff must travel is exacerbating the provision of water to the local population while 80% of the directorates funding goes to utilities. w
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A recent parliamentary visit to several regions found that, 32 years after independence, a total of 40 villages in the Kavango regions were still without clean drinking water and depended solely on traditional wells, and rain water for themselves and their livestock.Government’s rural water supply directorate is derailed by a lack of vehicles and needed capacity to maintain community boreholes some of which are not fit for human and animal consumption, the parliamentary committee found.
The National Council standing committee on agriculture, environment and natural resources visited the Zambezi, Kavango, Ohangwena, Oshikoto, Oshana, Omusati, Kunene and Erongo regions between February and March this year.
In the Zambezi region the greatest issue is the fact that despite the access to great mass of water the region has not a single irrigation project with the exception of the Kalimbeza Rice Project which is grossly underfunded.
In the Kavango regions, access to potable water remains a serious challenge which makes local communities heavily dependent on the water of the Okavango River, putting them at increased risk of crocodile attacks.
According to their committee’s report, since the dawn of independence a total of 40 villages in the Kavango regions have been living without potable water and access their water from traditional wells.
To make matters worse, in the Kavango East there is no water tank truck to ferry water to communities in distress while the majority of the directorate’s vehicles are grounded to be auctioned with only three being functional.
Meanwhile, in the Ohangwena region it was found that while almost 80% of the community has access to clean drinking water, the water infrastructure such as pipes and pumping machines are outdated.
Vehicles for this region is also a challenge with 2013 being the last time vehicles were procured for the directorate office.
The report further found that the prolonged drought in the Kunene region and the difficult terrain staff must travel is exacerbating the provision of water to the local population while 80% of the directorates funding goes to utilities. w
[email protected]
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