Will WUC pass the test?

Mmegi Editor | Thursday August 24, 2017 11:50

The summers of the past two years have been particularly difficult for consumers, especially in the southern regions, where declining and failed water reservoirs, coupled with weak infrastructure, meant long periods of water scarcity and punitive supply restrictions.

For a long period in greater Gaborone, the sight of trucks laden with all types of containers rushing to and fro, were even more common than the ubiquitous LPG gas delivery vans, as residents fought for each and every drop.

Then the heavens opened in February 2017, almost instantly filling Gaborone Dam beyond capacity and topping up all the other eight national dams. By yesterday, the dam with the lowest levels in the country was Bokaa in Kgatleng, which held 73.5% of its capacity.

Gaborone Dam, the lifeline for the 500,000-plus residents of greater Gaborone, was at 87.4% yesterday, a particularly strong position ahead of the anticipated summer rains. Unlike the past two years, there is no finger for the WUC to hide behind in the upcoming summer test. The dams are brimming with water and early projections from climatologists point to a healthy rain season coming up. It is therefore, one of life’s paradoxes that even in the midst of this abundance, so many households are going without water for prolonged periods, while others suffer such continual water cuts that supply cannot be relied upon.

Former water minister, Kitso Mokaila hit the nail on the head when he said Botswana’s problem was not so much the availability of water, but conveyance. In many areas, the water infrastructure in place is antiquated or of poor quality, frequently bursting or leaking and denying consumers supply.

Water losses are so problematic that in some areas such as Kweneng District, for every litre supplied, more than 500 millilitres is lost before ever reaching the intended consumers. The WUC, weighed down the financial and operational burden of taking over national water supply, simply is unable to refurbish most of its conveyance or attend to leaks in a timely manner. Recently, the WUC received a $145 million from the World Bank for its various capital and maintenance projects, a figure that while welcome, falls below the amount (P10 billion or so) the Corporation has said is necessary for its needs.

The disingenuous within WUC will gladly use the inadequate funding as a finger to hide behind for any failure during this summer test, but as consumers, we have an opportunity to foil the plot by conserving water, quickly reporting leaks, protecting public WUC infrastructure and demanding better service through all the platforms available for us.

In this way, we all pass the test.

 

Today’s thought

“Our civic society is really all we have by way of nationhood.”

– Cokie Roberts