10 Aug 2021

The Ministry of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services estimates that the ongoing Greater Gaborone water shortage will be resolved by today.

A media statement issued by the ministry says works to expose the leaking pipeline are ongoing with additional support sourced from other Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) contractors to expedite completion of repairs.

Greater Gaborone has been experiencing water interruptions since Saturday due to last Friday’s breakdown of a 1.2km-diametre Oodi-Mmamashia pipeline at Notwane River crossing near Oodi.

The pipeline supplies water from Mmamashia Water Treatment Plant supplying 10ML to Kanye, 11ML to Mochudi and 52ML to Gaborone. 

The release says storage levels at the plant remained healthy until Sunday when they started getting depleted resulting in a serious water deficit in Greater Gaborone and Mochudi. 

To mitigate the situation, a water rationing schedule has been introduced to direct water from the western to the northern side of the city to replenish areas such as Tsholofelo, Taung, Tsweneng, Phakalane and Gaborone North that have been without water supply for a protracted period.

It says areas such as blocks 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 as well as phases 1, 2 and 4 will start experiencing low pressure or no water due to rationing.

The statement says bowsing has started in Mochudi with 10 bowsers divided among affected areas in close liaison with the area leadership.

Critical institutions have been prioritised with four dedicated bowsers, it says.

It explains that efforts continue to be made to source more bowsers.

The ministry says it is closely monitoring the situation and regrets the inconvenience caused to customers.

Meanwhile, the ministry has appealed to customer to use available water sparingly. ends