NamWater and Husab Mine are set to achieve financial closure for the planned N$3 billion coastal desalination project by year end.
NamWater Chief Executive Officer Abraham Nehemia said the joint venture will see Husab Mine funding the construction of the project, ensuring NamWater does not need to independently mobilise the required N$2.5 to N$3 billion.
“This financial backing is crucial as it helps us avoid the need to mobilise between N$2.5 and N$3 billion on our own. The partnership is a joint venture, and we are also mobilising our resources to contribute to our share in the project. We are at an advanced stage and expect to achieve financial closure by the end of this calendar year,” he said.
The plant is scheduled to be operational by mid-2026. Nehemia said the plant will initially address coastal water needs, with future expansions extending supply to Windhoek and Gaborone.
“The project is divided into three phases. Phase one, known as SS1, involves establishing the plant at the coast to meet the immediate coastal water needs. Phase two will focus on extending the plant’s capacity to supply water further inland, including Windhoek, and eventually reaching Gaborone,” he noted.
Nehemia noted that a bilateral committee, co-chaired by the Executive Director of the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, Ndiyakupi Nghituwamata, is overseeing the cross-border aspects of this project with Botswana.
“Our primary focus as NamWater is to ensure the coastal plant is established and operational, meeting the water needs of the coastal areas. The ministry will provide further updates on the ongoing discussions and progress regarding the inland water supply extension,” he added.
This comes as declining underground water reserves in the coastal area are putting NamWater under immense pressure to continue to provide the commodity uninterrupted.
The plant is set to supply towns such as Henties Bay, Swakopmund and Walvis Bay, Arandis, Uis and settlements in Daures.
Namibia and Botswana have committed to a joint venture to address water scarcity in the region. The two countries will construct a desalination plant at Walvis Bay to extract water from the Atlantic Ocean.
The treated water will then be transported via a 1,490km pipeline to supply both Windhoek and Gaborone.
The Bank of Namibia projects water supply interruptions in the coastal areas are expected to contribute to a slowdown in the country’s uranium mining sector, with growth expected at 3.6% in 2024 from a robust 24.5% in 2023.
