City of Windhoek Declares Water Crisis

This week in 99fm’s Spotlight News we have been focusing on the country’s water situation. The critical stage it’s in at the moment and how we can solve this very important issue.

Spotlight News sat down with Mr Dieter Tolke, Technician for Water Demand Management at City of Windhoek, Lesley-Anne Van Wyk from the Hanns Seidel Foundation Namibia co-ordinator for ThinkNamibia Environmental Awareness Campaign and Dietrich Remmert – Research and Communications Consultant to find out more.

Because of the severity of the water shortage due to lack of rain, low dam levels, high water demand and even water wastage the city of Windhoek has declared a Water Crisis. The CoW is also considering of implementing tarrif increases if the 25% water saving initiative is not reached soon.

The Water Crisis will have a significant impact on the residents of Windhoek and as a result we announce with immediate effect the strict enforcement of the following:

• Watering of gardens is restricted to trees, shrubs and perennials once every second week. Watering of lawns, flowers, vegetables, etc. is strictly prohibited;

• No washing of cars (at home) other than utilising certified car washes;

• No watering of public parks & sport fields unless through an approved semi-purified irrigation water connection;

• Pool covers are mandatory and no further filling of private pools are allowed;

• No water features, fountains, ponds, etc. are to be operated and filled.

As part of its public outreach efforts, the City of Windhoek announced in its Drought Response Plan that it will continue to carefully coordinate restriction programs with water-based industries so that customer needs are accommodated as far as reasonably possible. The primary program is to apply consumption control by introducing appropriate tariff programs. Water restrictions are considered as a last resort, since restrictions will impact on the integrity of infrastructure and have a negative impact on essential services.

Listen to interviews done this week on the water crises below:

https://soundcloud.com/99fm/spotlight-news-ep1-part2-mr-dieter-tolke

https://soundcloud.com/99fm/spotlight-news-ep1-part3-lesley-anne-van-wyk-and-dietrich-remmert

https://soundcloud.com/99fm/spotlight-news-ep1-part4-views-from-namibian-youth