NamWater sets record straight on Rehoboth water

Heather Erdmann

Rehoboth NamWater has attributed Rehoboth’s prolonged brown and yellowish water to manganese-related changes in the Oanob Dam system. The update follows mounting dissatisfaction from residents over the discoloured water.

NamWater and the Rehoboth Town Council (RTC) recently met to discuss the concerns and measures to improve the town’s water quality, with the utility providing a formal explanation during a press update on Tuesday on RTC’s social media accounts.

Residents have reported mixed water conditions across the town. While some households say their water has cleared, others in parts of Blocks C, D, F and Kavuki have reported yellow, brown, or dark brown water at different times.

The situation has raised questions about what changed in 2026, why the problem became so pronounced, whether regular maintenance should have been carried out earlier, and whether residents should pay for water they could not use.

One resident on a Rehoboth Facebook platform said: “We are already paying an arm and a leg for that dirty, unsanitary water,” while questioning why temporary water points had not been provided.

NamWater Chief Operations Officer Andries Kok explained that manganese occurs naturally in rocks and soils in the Oanob Dam catchment. During seasonal turnover, manganese accumulated in sediments can enter the water drawn into the purification system.

Dissolved manganese may initially be invisible but can oxidise during treatment, forming particles that turn water brown or black. Chlorine used for disinfection can also contribute to the oxidation, particularly in the distribution network.

NamWater has adjusted chemical dosing, increased sampling, and monitoring, cleaned its reservoirs, and will assist RTC with flushing affected sections of the network. The utility said it would credit the water used for flushing.

Kok said water quality had improved, although manganese deposits may remain in parts of the network.

NamWater plans to replace the sand in its filters, starting with one within two weeks before replacing the remaining filters. A longer-term purification plant upgrade is also planned to strengthen treatment performance and its ability to respond to changing raw-water conditions.

NamWater said 40 bacteriological samples taken between March and September 2026 were classified as either “ideal” (34) or “acceptable” (six). Kok said the results indicated the water was safe to drink, although its brown appearance remained an aesthetic concern.

NamWater apologised to residents for the inconvenience caused by the water quality challenges and said it would continue monitoring the situation and implementing measures to improve the supply.

The issue also came up in Parliament on Wednesday, where Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform Minister Inge Zaamwani said she was aware of the problem.

“The challenge comes from the upstream supply at the Oanob dam owing to some filtration system that needs to be in place.”

Zaamwani said NamWater had tested the water and provided a report to the town council. She added that she would ask NamWater to issue a notice for onward communication to residents.

Mayor Jackie Khariseb said the water issue had also prompted residents to petition the council, while discussions with NamWater had opened the way for improvements.

“Although it was an unfortunate event, we have agreed, both entities agreed, that we will make amends as to providing quality water to our residents. This was also a blessing in disguise because after our deliberations, there will be many improvements in terms of the holistic water services to our town.”

While NamWater says the situation has improved, residents continue to ask what changed in 2026, why the problem became so severe and whether it is fair to pay for water that was discoloured and, in some cases, unusable.

NamWater apologised to residents for the inconvenience caused by the water quality *challenges and said it would continue working to improve the water supply. *

–herdmann@nepc.com.na

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