Water Utilities in the eye of a storm

Molepolole Village is as dry as Kgalagadi desert; actually, majority of the village residents can hardly remember the day they saw water coming out of their taps. It has been many years of dry spell. Villagers say the lack of water began back in 2011 when the Department of Water Affairs handed over the reins to Water Utilities Corporation (WUC). It is not clear as to what could have gone wrong but since then, things have been going from bad to worse for Bakwena.

The people of Molepolole are thirsty, local businesses have collapsed, and people are falling sick on a daily basis because they drink anything that can help them quench the thirst. Many taps that were installed in different homesteads are useless. They have never been used, not even once. Molepolole is one of the biggest villages in Botswana with a population of over 67 000 people as of 2011, and still growing.

It has over 150 wards but more than 70 of them don’t have any water flow. Residents of Molepolole buy water everyday for bathing, cooking and cleaning. Those who cannot afford to buy water have now turned into beggars. They knock from door to door and on a lucky day, they can manage to return home with at least a litre or so. Both students and the working class go to school and work without bathing. Classes are often disrupted and children sent back home because there is no water to cook their meals.

Even government departments and officials are finding it hard to keep it together; they are seen on several occasions buying water from locals who are fortunate to own boreholes. Over the years, the residents have constantly complained in Kgotla meetings about the unpleasant state of affairs in their village. However, to this point things remain the same. The situation has even forced some of the Bakwena community to relocate because they could not cope with the unbearable shortage of water. WUC Acting Corporate Communications Manager Khumo Mugibelo says the Molepolole, Thamaga and Thebephatshwa Cluster demand exceeds supply resulting in a deficit. He adds that the Molepolole network is dilapidated resulting in higher number of leaks from pipe bursts, which causes high water loss.

Furthermore, Mugibelo explained that Molepolole tanks are small as such in the event of any water supply interruption, the effects are felt immediately due to inadequate storage. WUC standard storage cover is 48hrs while Molepolole tanks have only 4hrs cover because of the rapid growth of the village.But now, it appears that Molepolole residents have had enough. This past weekend saw some of the residents gathering at an emergency meeting to address the disturbing issue. It was at the meeting that they decided that it is high time government handled their situation as a matter of urgency.

They will not rest until they find solutions; they argued that WUC has been sending them from pillar to post for the past seven (7) years. They are tired of the empty promises and want permanent remedies. Allegations were made at the meeting that politics could have contributed to the long term lack of water. However, one resident Joseph Tshireletso (54) strongly advised that they should not allow political affiliation to sabotage what could otherwise assist the village. He pleaded with WUC leadership to hire groundsmen who will assist in bringing back the water to the people.

He said that if need be, they should seek advice from Water Affairs on how they managed to keep water flowing throughout. “The Molepolole, Thamaga and Thebephatshwa cluster was supplied from Gaotlhobogwe, Suping and Ramaphatle wellfields and even at that that time water supply was inadequate,” argued Mugibelo. In response to the acute water shortage, Mugibelo said WUC initiated a project to augment supply which entailed equipping and connection of six boreholes in Malwelwe wellfield in 2013. Unfortunately in 2014-15 the country was hit by drought leading to some of the high yielding boreholes in Gaotlhobogwe drying up. This, he said, significantly reduced supply.