Staff Writer
A N$219.7 million investment to replace the aging Naute–Keetmanshoop water pipeline marks a significant step in strengthening long-term water security for Keetmanshoop and surrounding communities, while highlighting the growing importance of infrastructure renewal in sustaining Namibia’s economic and social development.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the Naute–KeetmanshoopWater Pipeline Replacement Project (Phase 1) was held this week, officially launching the replacement of a pipeline that has served the southern region since 1971.
The project, fully funded by NamWater at a cost of N$219. 7 million will see the construction of a new 36-kilometre pipeline using 450mm Glass Reinforced Polyester (GRP) pipes alongside the existing line. Construction is expected to take 18 months.
The replacement comes after more than five decades of service from the original steel pipeline, which has become increasingly prone to leaks and bursts as it aged, posing risks to the reliability of water supply for households, businesses and public institutions.
Speaking at the ceremony on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform, Executive Director Teofilus Nghitila described the project as an investment in the future of the people of the //Kharas Region.
He said water represented “life, dignity, opportunity and development” and noted that while the existing infrastructure had served the region faithfully for over 50 years, it could no longer meet modern demands.
Nghitila linked the investment to the objectives of Namibia’s Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6), which prioritises infrastructure development as a driver of economic growth and improved public service delivery.
For NamWater, the project is part of a broader strategy to modernise the country’s water infrastructure as demand continues to grow.
NamWater chief executive officer Abraham Nehemia said the project goes beyond replacing an aging pipeline.
Nehemia said the existing Naute–Keetmanshoop water supply scheme has been the backbone of the area’s water supply since it was commissioned more than five decades ago.
Although the tender was awarded to Adaptive Building Land Construction CC in a joint venture with China State Engineering Corporation (Southern Africa), implementation was delayed for almost two years following legal challenges by unsuccessful bidders.
Those disputes were ultimately resolved in favour of the Central Procurement Board of Namibia and NamWater, allowing construction to proceed.
Approximately 50 jobs are expected to be created over the 18-month construction period, with NamWater emphasising the importance of maximising local participation and skills development.
Nehemia said the project should serve as a catalyst for local economic development, adding that NamWater expects contractors to uphold environmental standards while ensuring communities benefit directly from the investment.
For residents of the //Kharas Region, the project promises more than new infrastructure.
Governor Dawid Gertze said the deteriorating pipeline has affected everyday life, from clinics experiencing low water pressure to schools facing sanitation challenges and farmers struggling with unreliable water supplies.
He described the groundbreaking as the beginning of a project that will improve the quality of life across the region.
Keetmanshoop municipality councillor Emrica Blaauw echoed those sentiments, calling the occasion “a day of renewal, of promise, and of progress” for both the town and the wider region.
