12 Mar 2025

 It is estimated that 60 per cent of the population is dependent on groundwater, but the rate is seemingly going down due to use of the North-South Carrier (NSC) pipeline.

Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday, Minister of Water and Human Settlements, Mr Onneetse Ramogapi said groundwater would therefore remained an important resource supporting small horticulture holdings and other agricultural initiatives through provision of water rights.

He said the ministry prohibited drilling for water in waterworks areas or build-up areas mainly because of risks of land subsidence due to prolonged pumping. Mr Ramogapi said the possibility of tapping on to polluted water could create a health risk and possibility of cross connection and cross contamination of potable water supply infrastructure.

He also said the ministry did not drill boreholes for individuals, but only for bulk water supply, adding that the ministry supported drilling boreholes through facilitation of acquiring water rights and technical guidance in groundwater and drilling. 

He said it also provided services on identification of groundwater resources for government institutions and technical guidance to individuals. The minister said government was prepared to dialogue, consult and discuss for new programs on how to serve Batswana better.

However, he said the only limitation in implementing the noble idea was availability of funds and competing priorities. 

Mr Ramogapi said the ministry did not drill or fund drilling of boreholes for clusters, groups or cooperatives for communal use and horticultural purposes.

He said government offered facilitation on the water potential of the area and other general technical support on borehole drilling on request by customers. 

He said the ministry was not in a position to support the idea of utilisation of water and land for communal use and horticultural purposes because there were no policies or programs in place to guide such.

Mr Ramogapi was responding to questions by Member of Parliament for Kgatleng West, Dr Unity Dow who asked whether regard was considered to the fact that many village compounds were fairly large and out of concern that they might be contaminated by pit-latrines, why underground water in large villages was not tapped for human consumption.

She had also asked whether the minister agreed that untapped water was a major valuable resource that could be used for small horticulture holdings.

Dr Dow had asked as to whether the ministry would be prepared to drill boreholes for small horticultural holdings and if the ministry was not prepared to drill boreholes, whether drilling of boreholes’ by clusters and cooperatives for communal use was supported.

She also asked if the minister would agree to the utilisation of the water and land as suggested would have economic and health benefits for participants. ENDS