Sostenus Wilherm
The Namibian government has launched the final phase of a N$83.9 million pipeline replacement project aimed at securing reliable water supplies for more than 200 000 residents and safeguarding the economic future of the Erongo Region.
Deputy minister of agriculture, fisheries, water and land reform, Ruthy Masake, on Wednesday officiated the groundbreaking ceremony for the Schwarzekuppe–Swakopmund Pipeline Replacement Project, describing it as a critical investment in water security, climate resilience and economic development.
The project, valued at N$83,934,620 excluding VAT, will replace the remaining nine kilometres of the ageing Kuiseb–Collector 2–Schwarzekuppe–Swakopmund pipeline, completing the rehabilitation of the entire 80-kilometre bulk water system that has supplied Namibia’s coast since 1974.
Masake said the project goes beyond replacing ageing infrastructure, saying it represents the government’s commitment to ensuring that communities and industries continue receiving reliable access to safe water.
“This ceremony is much more than the commencement of a construction project. It represents another significant milestone in our government’s unwavering commitment to providing reliable, sustainable and climate-resilient water infrastructure for the people of Namibia and most importantly, it represents a promise kept to the families of Swakopmund, Walvis Bay, Arandis and Henties Bay who depend on this pipeline every single day,” Masake said.
She stressed that in Namibia, the driest country in Sub-Saharan Africa, water remains a strategic national asset that underpins economic growth, food security and improved living standards.
“Without water there can be no sustainable economic growth, no industrial expansion, no food security and no improved quality of life for our people. That is why this Government continues to place water security at the centre of our national development agenda,” she said.
She further added the project forms part of the Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6), which prioritises investment in strategic bulk water infrastructure to stimulate economic growth, create jobs, strengthen climate resilience and improve livelihoods.
The pipeline replacement involves the installation of five kilometres of glass-reinforced plastic pipeline above ground as a pilot project to test its durability under the harsh coastal climate, while a further four kilometres of high-density polyethylene pipeline will be installed underground to protect it from corrosive salt air.
According to Masake, the final phase will eliminate one of the region’s oldest infrastructure bottlenecks after more than 62 kilometres of the system had already been replaced during earlier phases.
“When this project is finished, an ageing bottleneck that has tested the patience of this region for far too long will finally be closed for good, and a piece of infrastructure older than many of us in this crowd will be renewed for the next generation,” she said.
Once completed, the upgraded pipeline will improve water supply reliability for residents of Swakopmund, Walvis Bay, Arandis and Henties Bay while reducing water losses, lowering maintenance costs and improving NamWater’s operational efficiency.
Masake said the pipeline also plays a strategic role in supplying groundwater from the Lower Kuiseb Aquifer and can reverse water flows during emergencies to reinforce supplies to Walvis Bay.
She noted that protecting the aquifer also helps keep water affordable.
“Water from the Kuiseb Aquifer remains far more affordable to treat and deliver than desalinated water. By protecting this source, we protect affordable water tariffs for every household and every small business along this coast. That is what a caring Government does, it does not simply build pipes, it protects the pockets of its people.”
The deputy minister said the investment was particularly important for the Erongo Region, which hosts Namibia’s major uranium mines, a thriving fishing industry, growing tourism sector, port activities and emerging green hydrogen projects, all of which depend on secure and sustainable water supplies.
She also acknowledged Germany’s continued support through the KfW Development Bank, saying the Water Sector Support Programme has invested EUR50 million in Namibia’s water sector since 2022. Germany further strengthened its commitment last year through a EUR75 million loan and a EUR3 million grant.
“This partnership demonstrates what can be achieved when nations work together in pursuit of sustainable development, and I want the people of Erongo to know that this friendship between Namibia and Germany is being poured, quite literally, into the ground beneath their feet,” Masake said.
She thanked NamWater, its technical teams and contractor Zhong Mei Engineering Group for driving the project, which is expected to be completed within 12 months.
Looking ahead, Masake said demand for bulk water along the coast is projected to increase from 31 million cubic metres annually to 48 million cubic metres by 2050, making continued investment in water infrastructure essential.
“We are not only solving today’s problems; we are building the backbone for the Namibia our children will inherit,” she said.
