Moroke Sekoboto
PLANS to supply water to Botswana from the Senqu (Orange River), through the Orange Senqu River Commission (ORASECOM) are at an advanced stage.
A dam will be constructed alongside the Makhaleng River in Mohale’s Hoek. The river joins Senqu along the border of Lesotho and South Africa.
This Lesotho-Botswana Water Transfer (L-BWT) project is anticipated to have positive long-term impact for communities in the Senqu basin.
Senqu originates near Thabana Ntlenyana in Mokhotlong and stretches all the way to Namibia, passing through South Africa and Botswana.
The project will be in alignment with the African Union initiative of building continental partnerships in developing cost-effective and sustainable regional infrastructure. This according to L-BWT Project Manager under the ORASECOM, Thabo Hloele, who said the development of L-BWT would result in improved standards of living, inclusive growth and water security for communities.
Addressing a press conference in Maseru recently, Mr Hloele said Lesotho’s Senqu (Orange) River water will supply both Botswana and South Africa.
“There will also be hydropower generation in Lesotho to improve access to electricity and reduce dependency on imported energy,” Mr Hloele said.
Mr Hloele said the project would be implemented as part of the “climate resilient water resources investment plan” supported through financing agreements with the African Water Facility (AWF), and the African Development Bank (AfDB).
“The project under preparation intends to implement the construction of a multi-purpose dam in Lesotho on the Makhaleng River and a bulk water pipeline through South Africa to Botswana and alongside the conveyance system explore the possibility of generating hydropower.
“L-BWT is planned to supply 150 mmᶟ per annum to Botswana and 50 mmᶟ for consumers in Lesotho and South Africa equally. Supply to Bloemfontein as well as irrigation to Lesotho have been recommended by the Phase I prefeasibility study. A piped water conveyance system has been agreed which will cover approximately 700km from Lesotho to Botswana,” he said.
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