Namibia considering artificially refilling aquifers

Namibia is a country situated in a desert, but for the last few years it has experienced above average rainfall. A senior government official has announced this week that the capital, Windhoek, is only 4 years away from running out of water - should this pattern end. The government is proposing artificially filling aquifers to alleviate this problem.

The city currently consumes 25 million cubic metres of water each year, provided by 3 reservoirs. These reservoirs are extremely inefficient however, as in the desert water evaporates very quickly. The answer may be to pump the water underground and fill the aquifers below the city.

The project is proposed to pump 35 million cubic metres below the quartzite mountains south of Windhoek and will cost $73 million to complete. Convincing the government to act with this large sum of money is a serious challenge. The prospect of climate change adding to an already serious problem may sway the government to cooperate however.

There has been a precedent for water shortages in the region, with a serious drought in 1996/7 meaning the city almost used all its water resources. The region, which depends on water reliant mining to sustain its economy, suffered economically because of this, and confidence has never truly recovered.

Climate change is likely to make this situation much worse in the future, with increasing demands on water and a drier climate, measures like this have to be seriously considered to make the region a viable economy.