WUC water policing

| Monday May 6, 2013 00:00

The restrictions , taking into cognizance the poor water situations in  this arid country, bars potable water use for gardening, pools, automatic urinaries, car washes, construction activities, among others.Indeed this policing, which is long over due, is most welcome. The need for strict monitoring and of course strict adherence to the restrictions cannot be over emphasised.

The restrictions, if implemented to the letter, would affect certain industries , leisure and health industries which use water activities to attract heir customers.  Who would think of a Gaborone Sun pool terrace without potable water, or the luxurious Lansmore  hotel Pool being empty?  Gyms, all of the gyms, among others use water activities such as swimming, while certain spots such as the Big 5 lodge is famous for pool parties in summer.

The thought of these wonderful luxuries coming to an end until the rain situation improves, is not a nice one, and probably the users of these facilities would hope the Water Utilities  will merely introduce fine and not kill all the fun.While there is no doubt that by saving little all of us could do more, there is no denying that the bulk of the water that should be saved is lost along the way in the North South Water Carrier through leakage of pipes.

If the powers that be do not act as a matter of urgency to attend to the leakage that has been going on since the laying of the pipes, then our multi million pula dams in the north will continue to look like they are not doing sufficient job.It also remains to be seen what sort of levies the WUC will implement to enforce the water restrictions.

One hopes that the so called house to house  and company to company visits is not a ploy by the cash strapped WUC to raise the needed millions to boost their balance sheet.We also hope that the exercise will not prove futile for shortage of  human resources, because  a once off visit alone will only bear short term results.

We hope the water restrictions monitoring exercise, temporary as it may, could also create employment for hundreds of officers who will be hired for the exercise.