By Cedric Swanka
Debswana Mining Company has said that is in the process of improving water supply in the township of Orapa with its first ever major upgrade of the oldest potable water reticulation system.
Corporate Affairs Manager at the company – Bontle Maruatona said that this is the first major upgrade done on the Orapa potable water system. It is believed that The current system is over 40 years old and has reached a point where it is costly to maintain.
Maruatona further said “the Orapa Township is integrated with the Orapa mine and all associated areas are fed with water from one system. The project is in response to a strategic business decision intended to ensure adequate provision of potable water for the Orapa Township and to take the mining operations to end of Life of Mine.”
The improvements set to take place at Debswana`s Orapa mine are a construction of a 1100 cubic meter sump, construction of a pump house complete with pumps including relocating existing ones where applicable. There will also be a tie in into the existing water network as well as telemetry including connecting to the existing infrastructure and accommodation of traffic and maintaining access to properties.
Two 600 square meter gravity tanks will be erected, construction of a fully equipped pump house, tie-in into the existing township reticulation network and telemetry including tie-in into the existing infrastructure. As well as accommodation of traffic and maintaining access to properties.
“There will be an addition of two elevated tanks, enabling us to change from a pumped system to a gravity fed system. This is beneficial because it saves energy and the maintenance will be low over time as it negates a need to have pumps continually running to feed the township,” Maruatona said.
Maruatona further said that no harsh environmental changes and additional costs are anticipated as the whole project occurs on an area which a lease applies.
“The project is an upgrade on existing infrastructure in the Orapa mine Lease area and will not require any additional real estate.”
Maruatona said that “Communication to employees, business partners and residents in Orapa will be employed via the usual internal communications platforms.
