The outstanding debt for Chobe District owed to Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) stands at P14.6 million as at end of January 2025 with a 24% upward movement from P11 million reported in November 2024.
Domestic consumption makes up a chunk of the debt at P6.5 million, government at P4.7 million, and businesses debt at P2.1 million and Chobe District Council debt at P1, 1 million.
Chobe District Council Chairman Johane Chenjekwa has revealed at the full council meeting in Kasane last week that in a bid to collect these outstanding amounts, WUC has embarked on a mass disconnection campaign of all customers owing the Corporation since December 2024. He reminded the corporation’s customers that its offices are always open on weekdays for them to pay their outstanding debts.
Regarding the water supply in the district, Chenjekwa said that the water supply from Kasane Treatment Plant has been stable throughout this quarter and adequately meets the demand for all the eight villages at a daily supply volume of 7.1 million liters per day at peak with the plant carrying a maximum storage capacity of 32 million liters of water.
He expressed that no incidences of water supply interruption occurred for Kasane and Kazungula except for the Chobe West Enclave villages due to frequent power cuts which affected village tank levels.
‘‘Despite the water stability of the eight villages, we cannot look away from the water supply challenges faced by residents of Pandamatenga village who are supplied from groundwater through two boreholes,’’ he said.
Meanwhile, Chenjekwa has lamented that Kasane/Kazungula continues to face challenges of wastewater spillages due to a variety of reasons such as malfunctioning system equipment and discarding non-friendly foreign objects into the waste-water system by the public. The foreign objects are reported to be causing blockages that are often experienced around Kasane and Kazungula area.
Despite these challenges, Chenjekwa has noted that WUC started engaging the community in outreach activities, Kgotla meetings and Primary/Junior Secondary schools’ engagement, with all interactions designed to disseminate information on the correct use of the sewerage system. Through the outreach activities, Chenjekwa is hopeful that over time these incidences will reduce as the community gains understanding of the workings of the system.
