More bad news on the water-front

Botswana acquires 7.3 million cubic litres from the dam annually but only when it is above the 27 percent mark.Below the mark and Botswana gets only half the supplies and this might happen soon, Selemogwe said.He stated that the water situation has become more severe forcing them to resort to forced rationing."The water at the (Gaborone) dam will only last us for 10 months and that's only if the rationing continues and its done effectively.The water level has even gone below the ruler, our officers have to dip into the dam to get the levels," he said.

He explained that the water crisis has been a long time in the making and is largely a result of the greater use due to population growth, agriculture, industry and urbanisation. He said the North-South Water Carrier has always been an alternative that comes to the rescue when Gaborone Dam is drying up. But a burst pipe has put paid to supplies from the carrier for the last three months that repair work has been going on.