Movene Dam (Project P1‐7)
The dam will be instrumental in poverty eradication, as the water supply from the dam will assist
small‐holder farmers in Mozambique, as well as provide much needed water for mainly the peri‐
urban population with poor water supply and sanitation. The dam would supplement the existing
Pequenos Limbobos Dam.
The selection of a concrete dam is motivated by the occurrence of flash floods in the area, and the
dam is proposed to be constructed as an overflow weir without gates. The active storage volume
would be about 50 x 106 m3.
It is estimated that the project will supply 50 000 people with a safe water supply and sanitation
service, irrigate 300 hectares of land and generate about 10 MW of hydropower.
The project proponent is the National Directorate of Water (DNA), with ARA South in Mozambique
being the project's implementing agent. Pre‐feasibility studies and a comprehensive environmental
and social impact assessment need to be completed by 2013. Feasibility studies would then follow in
2014. Detailed designs and tendering for construction will be done in 2015. Implementation and
construction of the associated project components is expected to start in 2016 and will be completed
by 2018.
The estimated total project costs are US$11 million. The project can be considered to be in Phase 1 of
the ICA Project Development Phases. Possible project financiers are USAID and the World Bank.
The major project challenge is the timely sourcing of project finances.
Artificial Recharge of Windhoek Aquifer ‐ Phases 2B and 3 (Project P1‐8)
The Windhoek Aquifer is an important source of water for Windhoek, especially during periods of
drought when the levels of surface dams are very low and when the supply from these sources is
reduced. Over a period of 55 years, the regular abstraction of water from the aquifer has resulted in
the lowering of the groundwater table by an average of 50 to 60 m. After heavy abstraction during a
drought, approximately five years of natural recharge is required before water levels return to pre‐
drought conditions. Managed aquifer recharge (water banking) would fill up the aquifer, thereby
increasing the security of supply using treated surface water, blended with reclaimed water from the
reclamation plant, which will not be subjected to evaporation. Evaporation in the central areas of
Namibia is approximately 3 400 mm per year, compared with Windhoek's average annual rainfall of
366 mm. Managed aquifer recharge will take place when excess water is available from the surface
dams, as well as from the production wells.
This project will benefit all residents of Windhoek, as it will improve the security of water supply to
the city. This, in turn, will ensure that businesses and industries will be less affected by water
rationing during periods of drought. The security of supply would attract new investments, which
again contributes to poverty eradication and improved livelihoods.
The ultimate recharge capacity required will amount to 8.0 x 106 m3 per year. This is a surface water
storage project, used only in cases of water shortages for the benefit of the same population. There
will thus be no increase in the number of persons served, but in security of supply.
The project proponent is the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry with NamWater being the
implementing agency. Phases 1 and 2A of the project were completed in 2003 and 2011 respectively.
The feasibility studies for Phase 2B (EIA, siting, drilling and test pumping of eight deep production
boreholes and eight recharge wells) commenced and will be concluded by the end of 2012. The
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