Integrated Water Resources Management in Northern Namibia – Cuvelai-Delta Outline of the preliminary study
- Rainwater Harvesting in combination with appropriate filter technologies and preparation methods opens possible alternatives for the supply of drinking water – especially in rural areas that are not connected to the pipeline grid. In addition, mixing the rainwater with (saline) groundwater can provide the basis for small scale irrigation projects. Innovative storage methods and mechanical/physical procedures for preventing capillary soil-water movement are under investigation.
- Decentralized Solar Desalination Processes (condensation or reverse osmosis units) can be used to gain high quality drinking water for household use but also results in quantities of concentrated brine. Ways must be found for dealing with this waste in order to avoid creating unintended side-effects.
- The Artificial Recharge of Groundwater can be used to stabilize freshwater lenses. Infiltration wells facilitate the rapid penetration of rain or surface water below the ground where it can suppress the saltwater level. This technique allows the possible loss of water through evaporation and (soil) salinisation to be minimized, and water reserves are protected from pollution via the surface.
- The Use of Wastewater as a source for the generation of energy, mineral nutriments (nitrogen and phosphorus for degraded soils) and humus enhances integrated economic management of water and land resources on a (semi) decentralized level. A prerequisite here is that rainwater and household or commercial wastewater are not mixed but processed separately. Depending on the population density and the volume of waste water to be dealt with, various systems seem appropriate due to cost effectiveness. Particularly in rural areas, few of which have sanitation systems, eco-san concepts have the virtue of providing a better balance in the use of fresh water. For urban areas that already have a (more or less functional) sewage system, semi-decentralised management of processing waste water pose an alternative.