Illegal borehole drilling along the Thamalakane River continues unabated, posing a major threat to the resource’s ecosystem and biodiversity, the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has confirmed. Most boreholes identified within the Thamalakane River catchment area lack water rights certificates, while others remain unrecorded due to restricted access to private property.
It has become apparent to authorities that certain residents and commercial farms along the river continue to extract water without proper permits, utilising both surface off-takes and illegal underground boreholes.
Unauthorised drilling carries serious environmental risks. Some of the ecological risks posed by illegal boreholes include aquifer depletion, loss of biodiversity, agricultural failure, public health hazards, groundwater contamination and disease outbreaks.
The potential pollution of groundwater if boreholes are not properly sealed, the depletion and alteration of the water table, and interference with the natural recharge of underground aquifers.
Responding to inquiries, Maun’s Chief Water and Sanitation Officer, Keodumetse Keetile, noted that the regional office does not have an exact count of all boreholes drilled along the Thamalakane catchment area. However, he revealed that a joint field assessment conducted with the Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) between June 27 and July 11, 2022, identified 38 boreholes within the Maun waterworks area.
The exercise covered the wards of Boseja, Matshwane, Disaneng, Thitoyamokodi, New Mall, Wenela, Sedie, and Matlapana. Keetile emphasised that this number is not exhaustive, as officials faced significant challenges gaining access to some residential plots and farms.
Of the 38 boreholes identified, Keetile admitted that several lacked water rights certificates. He highlighted that the department has since intensified efforts to ensure water users comply with the law.
“Where the department identifies boreholes without certificates, owners are advised to normalise their water use by registering with the department to obtain completion certificates and formal water rights,” he stated.
Despite the Thamalakane River being a vital water source for Maun and surrounding areas, concerns persist that regulatory authorities are not doing enough to monitor or curb prohibited extraction. Operating a borehole without a certificate is illegal and, under current regulations, carries penalties and fines.
Illegal drilling and unauthorised extraction exacerbate water scarcity in an already water-stressed region, leading to severe environmental, social, and economic consequences.
The process for drilling boreholes on tribal land requires initial authorisation from the Land Board. Following this, the Department of Water and Sanitation registers the borehole and assists owners in obtaining water rights from the Water Apportionment Board.
As the custodian of water resources, the DWS is mandated to monitor, protect, and conserve both surface and groundwater. This includes providing technical guidance on activities along rivers and aquifers that could impact the integrity of the country’s water sources.
Efforts to reach the Tawana Land Board, the authority responsible for authorising land rights and borehole drilling on tribal land, were unsuccessful at the time of publication.
