A senior engineer with the Department of Water Affairs (DWA) Gugundla Naidoo told Mmegi that the plant developed a problem with filters with the result that it can now only supply 20 percent of its normal output. He said that the plant, which was upgraded and commissioned in August last year, is still under warranty and the contractor is expected to attend to the damaged filters. He explained that Multi Waste, the company that was contracted to upgrade the plant has said that it is expecting replacement filters today. Naidoo said that the plant would continue to operate at minimum capacity until the filters are replaced, hopefully within a week of their arrival.
Maun has had serious water shortage for the last decade. However, the situation reached crisis proportions last year after the Thamalakane River submerged major boreholes along its banks. The problem became worse last month when floodwaters destroyed a high volume water pipe at Kunyere. The pipe supplied 30 percent of the town's water. Even when all the water supply is operational at full capacity the town can only get 6,855 cubic metres against the needed 8,319 cubic metres. The entire pipe system in the town is reportedly crumbling and needs replacing, which raises another prospect of further water shortage.
