Kedikilwe, who is also the Minister of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources, said the project is intended to resolve water supply and sanitation problems in Maun by connecting Kunyere wellfield to the Maun water supply network, upgrading the existing water supply network and construction of water treatments plants and storage facilities. The ministry will also construct a wastewater treatment facility and a sanitation reticulation system for the resort town.Kedikilwe said the project is currently at the tendering stage to appoint a consultant for design and supervision. The design is expected to take 18 months while the actual project will take 36 months.
Shortage of water in Maun has been persistent over the last few years due in part to growing demand because of the town's expansion beyond the network coverage. The Vice-President denied that wastewater contaminated by human waste from Maun's Letsholathebe II Memorial Hospital and Botswana Housing Corporation (BHC) is drained into the Thamalakane River, which residents drink from due to shortage of potable water."Waste from the hospital is treated through a waste water treatment plant, then discharged into a maturation pond and sludge drying bed, thus eliminating discharging into the Thamalakane River," he said. "With regards to BHC houses, waste water is treated on site and the water reused for the irrigation of the landscaping at the BHC houses."
To further prodding by the MP for Maun East, Frank Ramsden, Kedikilwe said he could not speak for camps that are not treating their effluent as Ramsden alleged. However, Kedikilwe said he is aware that wastewater from the Wildlife Training Institute drains into the river due to recent "operational challenges".
