WUC must fix its pipes, not just say sorry

Mmegi Editor | Monday June 15, 2026 06:00

“Clean water, the essence of life and a birthright for everyone, must become available to all people now.”

– Michel Cousteau

We see notices for Block 6, Extension 11, Gaborone, Francistown; the list grows every week. It is good that WUC warns consumers, but so many warnings point to a deep problem. Water pipes are old and falling apart. And the people who pay the bills are the ones suffering.

When a main pipe bursts, taps run dry. Families in some of those areas have no choice but to fetch water from shallow wells, rivers or bowsers that may not be clean. Each outage brings a real risk of diarrhoea and other sicknesses. Schools sometimes send children home because there is no water for toilets or meals. That steals valuable learning time. Small business owners like like food vendors and those running car washes lose money they cannot afford to lose. Some people end up buying water from private trucks and shops at high prices, spending even more on top of their monthly WUC bills.

Customers are angry, and they have every right to be. They pay high tariffs every month but get a poor, unreliable supply. Often, when water comes back, it is brown or cloudy. They ask, “Why must we keep paying more for less?” Trust is breaking down. People feel they are funding a utility that cannot keep its side of the deal.

We call on WUC to do better. Patching pipes repeatedly is not enough. The utility needs a clear, public plan to replace old, weak pipes across the country. It must set deadlines and report progress openly. Finding leaks early, properly managing water pressure, and keeping a fast-response repair team ready would prevent many major bursts before they happen.

When a burst does happen, WUC must tell people honestly when supply will return and arrange clean emergency water, so families are not forced to use risky sources.

But WUC cannot fix this alone. Years of under-spending, fast-growing towns and villages, and very old pipes have created a huge burden. The government must step in as a real partner. It should establish a dedicated fund to repair and replace water pipes, perhaps through a one-off grant or a short-term levy, managed openly and fairly. The Ministry of Water and Human Settlements should help WUC quickly purchase quality materials and bring in skilled engineers where needed.

Water is not a luxury. It is a basic right that keeps people healthy and the economy moving. Every day that pipes stay weak, that right is denied. WUC must fix its pipes, keep supply steady, and respect the money customers pay. Government must give the utility the tools to do the job. We hope the next public notice will not be about another burst, but about a lasting repair that keeps water flowing for everyone.