Namibia, currently grappling with its most severe drought in over a century, will begin constructing its second desalination plant in January 2025, announced Calle Schlettwein, the minister of agriculture, water, and land reform, on Wednesday.
This long-awaited project, first proposed in 1998, has finally received approval and is expected to be operational by early 2027, with a capacity of about 20 million cubic metres.
As the world’s third-largest uranium producer, contributing 11% to the global supply, Namibia is witnessing a boom in exploration activities and acquisitions in its uranium sector, leading to increased water demand.
Companies from Australia, Canada, and Russia are vying for a stake in Namibia’s uranium industry, attracted by its rich resources and favourable market conditions.
The rising demand from critical minerals exploration, mining activities, and Namibia’s ambitious green hydrogen plans—aiming to produce 10-12 million metric tonnes of hydrogen equivalent annually by 2050—has further strained the country’s underground water reservoirs.
In the Erongo region, Namibia’s mining hub near the coastal towns of Swakopmund and Walvis Bay, mines have relied heavily on two groundwater aquifers and desalinated water from the privately owned Orano Desalination Plant, which has been in operation since 2010.
These sources, however, have reached their limit, supplying just under 30 million cubic metres per year.
“Our ambitious development plans, coupled with increased mining activities, industrial demand, agriculture, and food production, have pushed projected water demand beyond what these sources can deliver,” Schlettwein stated.
While Namibia’s economy is forecasted to grow by 3.7% in 2024, the ongoing drought and water supply interruptions on the coast pose significant risks, according to the central bank.
In May, President Nangolo Mbumba declared a national state of emergency in response to the worst drought the country has experienced in 100 years.
