Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05GABORONE601
2005-05-03 05:37:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Gaborone
Cable title:  

GABORONE'S LOOMING WATER SHORTAGE

Tags:  PGOV SENV ECON BEXP BC 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 GABORONE 000601 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

AF/S FOR DIFFILY

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV SENV ECON BEXP BC
SUBJECT: GABORONE'S LOOMING WATER SHORTAGE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 GABORONE 000601

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

AF/S FOR DIFFILY

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV SENV ECON BEXP BC
SUBJECT: GABORONE'S LOOMING WATER SHORTAGE


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The Gaborone Dam, the primary source of
water for over 250,000 people in the Greater Gaborone area,
is at a four-year low. Without significant inflows, which
are unlikely to materialize, the dam will fail in three
months. The GOB's short-term solution is to rely on a
notoriously faulty pipeline from a dam in the less-arid
northeast. While water restrictions have reduced demand to
match the capacity of this pipeline, the Government needs to
do more to improve its water management. To meet the long-
term growth in demand, the GOB has advanced plans for
constructing a large dam (capacity 400 million cubic meters)
also in the northeast. This USD 175 million project and
other impending water-related infrastructure projects
provide an opportunity to support Botswana's economy and
assist US companies to bid on substantial contracts. END
SUMMARY.

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WATER CRISIS LOOMING IN GABORONE
--------------


2. (U) Without a major increase in rainfall - and the rainy
season is now ending - the Gaborone Dam, the primary source
of water for over 250,000 people in the Greater Gaborone
area, is likely to fail within three months. The dam
contains only 23 percent of its capacity of 141.4 million
cubic meters, a four-year low. Although water restrictions
have reduced demand by roughly 25 percent, the declining
water supply in southeastern Botswana is likely to force the
Water Utilities Company (WUC) to rely on water piped from
the northeast of the country, where rains have been more
plentiful.


3. (U) Letsibogo dam (100 million cubic meters),located
near Selebi-Phikwe in the northeast, has been providing 40
percent of Greater Gaborone's water via a pipeline called
the North-South Carrier (NSC). According to the WUC, the
NSC could provide 100 percent of Gaborone's current water
demand for up to 20 months. By that time, it hopes,
rainfall will have replenished the Gaborone Dam. WUC
admitted, however, that the NSC has a troubled track-record.
A recently released report by the Auditor General noted that
the glass-reinforced plastic pipes that compose nearly half
the carrier have suffered leaks and ruptures, some of which
took several days to repair. Permanent Secretary Tombale of

the Ministry of Mineral, Energy and Water Resources referred
to the leak-prone pipe as "the big risk" in the GOB's
planned response to the water crisis.


4. (U) In light of this challenge, the Ministry of
Minerals, Energy and Water Resources is considering
connecting to boreholes in areas now served by the NSC. One
proposal would tap into a well field south of Gaborone that
had been decommissioned in 1989 after ground water became
contaminated by pit latrines used in the nearby village.
According to Permanent Secretary Tombale, the GOB hopes to
attract assistance from its international partners to help
implement this idea.

--------------
PRIMARY CAUSE: INFLATED DEMAND
--------------


5. (SBU) Although rapid population growth -- Gaborone
proudly proclaims itself the fastest growing city in Africa
-- and lower-than-average rains contributed to this crisis,
the primary cause was the lack of proper water conservation
measures. Permanent Secretary Tombale conceded that
Botswana has not behaved as a water-scarce country in the
past, resulting in an "inflated demand." While highly
subsidized and unaccountable delivery of water in rural
areas contributes to this problem, Botswana government
institutions appear to be the worst offenders. A contact
within the Water Affairs Department has documented numerous
instances in which Government institutions lose around 50
percent of their water to wastage; in some cases this
proportion was as high as 90 percent. Leaking fixtures,
automatic flushing urinals, and toilet tanks with excessive
capacity accounted for much of this loss. The local press
has also decried the verdant hue of lawns at government
offices amidst the imposition of water restrictions.

--------------
NEW DAMS IN NORTHEAST TO INCREASE SUPPLY
--------------


6. (U) Botswana's Ninth National Development Plan (covering
2003-2009) called for the construction of four new dams.
One of these, Ntimbale Dam (35 million cubic meters) is
already under construction. Word that the diamond mine in
Orapa is beginning to run out of water prompted the GOB to
advance its timetable for building the 400 million cubic
meter Lower Shashe Dam. The GOB encountered such setbacks
with the Ntimbale project that it hopes to hire a consultant
to oversee the USD 175 million Lower Shashe project, along
with the construction of two other dams (one of 35 million
cubic meters and another of 100 million cubic meters).
Depending on how long it takes to resolve concerns
reportedly raised by South Africa about the impact on its
downstream water supply, the GOB would like to initiate work
on Lower Shashe Dam in 2006. The Government estimates that
it will take three years to finish this project.


7. (U) Although contacts inside and outside the Government
have criticized its tendency to ignore demand reduction, it
has taken some initial steps in this direction. The
Ministry of Minerals, Energy, and Water has introduced coin-
operated water dispensers in four villages and distributed
tokens to enable families to obtain a basic amount of water
for free, beyond which they have to pay. Initial results
suggest a significant decrease in water use in the pilot
villages, sparking increased interest from local authorities
in other areas of the country. The Ministry has introduced
this technology slowly, fearing that it lacks the technical
capacity to keep the units in proper working order.
Permanent Secretary Tombale told PolOff that he intends to
take advantage of this crisis to promote water conservation
measures, such as using untreated water for non-consumptive
purposes like construction.

--------------
COMMENT
--------------


8. (SBU) Water is a political commodity in Botswana. The
Government is reluctant to eliminate substantial subsidies
in rural areas where the ruling Botswana Democratic Party is
strongest, knowing that this would hasten the penetration of
opposition parties into the countryside. Conversely, poor
urban neighborhoods that tend to support opposition parties
frequently endure water cuts that last for days, an
inconvenience that up market residential areas are spared.


9. (SBU) Gaborone's water crisis offers opportunities to
strengthen the US-Botswana partnership. The Mission hosted
a digital videoconference on the subject of water
conservation to help energize local discussions of how to
deal with this challenge. The GOB hopes to obtain
assistance from the US or other international partners to
finance and implement its planned water infrastructure
projects. This presents an opportunity to support
Botswana's continued economic growth while potentially
assisting US exporters.

HUGGINS