How NamWater kept water flowing during the COVID-19 lockdown: lifting water rationing, bypassing pre-paid meters and supplying vulnerable communities by water tanker.
Clean water and good hygiene were at the centre of the fight against COVID-19. As the national bulk water supplier, NamWater put measures in place to keep water flowing 24 hours a day, despite the expected impact on its finances.
Water Supply Measures
- Water rationing lifted: rationing was lifted for all affected village councils so they could receive water 24 hours a day.
- Pre-paid meters bypassed: customers on pre-paid water meters were placed on bypass so towns and villages had access to water. Outstanding debts were not cancelled, and local authorities were to pay for current consumption once the situation returned to normal.
- Water tankers: the Business Unit Chiefs worked with regional governments to identify vulnerable communities without water and supply them by tanker, in all Business Units. In Business Unit Central, NamWater supplied the Greiters quarantine facility.
Continuity of Supply
Essential staff worked from home or were on standby 24 hours a day. Customers could still pay their water bills and apply for connections and reconnections.
Support for the Fight Against the Pandemic
NamWater donated N$125 000 to the Disaster Risk Management Fund and, on 1 April 2020, gave gloves, masks and sanitiser to the Namibian Police for roadblocks into the Erongo and Khomas regions.
Financial Implications
Restoring full supply to local authorities and providing free water by tanker from 27 March to 4 May 2020 was estimated to cost NamWater N$40.94 million, rising to N$122.82 million over three months and N$245.64 million over six months. NamWater proposed long-term solutions such as a Water Scarcity Fund to support the corporation during such events.