Billy Ntaote

WATER Affairs Minister Ralechate ‘Mokose says his ministry is working to mitigate the impact of countrywide water shortages by opening dams and drilling more boreholes.

Addressing members of the Ninth Parliament yesterday, Mr ‘Mokose said the country was experiencing severe water shortages due to climate change and a weather phenomenon called El Niño.

El Niño is a periodic climatic phenomenon where waters of the eastern tropical Pacific warm, resulting in heavy rainfall in parts of South America and drought-like conditions in Australia, south-east Asia and southern Africa.

He said government was implementing a raft of measures to alleviate the water shortages such as opening of dams, use of water tankers to supply areas with acute shortages, drilling of boreholes and refurbishment of water treatment plants to improve their efficiency. Mr ‘Mokose said his ministry was also working on a supplementary budget in response to the drought conditions.

The minister said ‘Muela Dam, which was constructed under the Lesotho Highlands Water Project’s (LHWP), would be opened to replenish Tšehlanyane River which supplies Butha-Buthe and Leribe districts.

He said Mokhotlong would be supplied by Senqu River, although it was already under strain from the heat wave.

“In Mafeteng, the small-scale water treatment plant at Tša-li-tlama and Luma dams would be utilised to fill water tankers that will ferry water to villages. Water rationing will also be effected in Mafeteng town,” Mr ‘Mokose said.

“In Quthing, the expectation is that the Qomoqomong River will continue to supply the town with water for a month, and this would be done through water rationing. With the support of the general public, water sources located in the outskirts of the town in Ha Ntho will also be utilised to supply water to Moyeni.

“In the Qacha’s Nek, the levels of two major water sources, Mosaqane and Sejabatho River, are low and water rationing is already taking place. In the event that Sejabatho River becomes completely dry, water would be drawn from the Senqu River by water tankers.”

In Mohale’s Hoek, the minister said the Makhaleng River, which is the major water source in the district, was already dry and villagers were now resorting to underground sources.

“In Mohale’s Hoek we have to augment the borehole pumps to get more water from underground.

“In Mapoteng town, the ‘Makaliso River’s waters have been depleted and water rationing has started in the villages. There is a dire need for the strengthening of the boreholes in Ha ‘Makhoroana by deepening the boreholes,” Mr ‘Mokose said.

“In Thaba-Tseka, residents now depend on borehole water since the usual sources have been depleted. Water rationing started in August this year and we need to refurbish the water treatment plant in Thaba-Tseka town.”

He continued: “In Maputsoe, they depend on water from the Mohokare River which is about to run dry, and underground water sources are also depleted.

“We have started water rationing in the area, and expect that they would also benefit from the opening of ‘Muela Dam. There are plans to increase the strength of underground water pumps.”

Semonkong residents, the minister said, depended on water from ‘Maletsunyane River which was already under strain, with water rationing set to begin in December.

He said Peka residents were being supplied by the Mohokare River, which was also on the verge of drying up, adding that the water supply would soon be drawn from the ‘Muela Dam.

The minister said the Metolong Dam was already supplying Maseru, Morija, Roma and Teyateneng.

Mr ‘Mokose also urged Basotho to practice good hygiene habits to prevent water borne diseases that have been exacerbated by the drought.

“Communities dependent on unprotected water sources are advised to boil their drinking water,” he said.