As Namibia continues to face rising water insecurity, members of the WaReNam Project came together in Windhoek on May 8th, 2025, to convene in the project’s 3rd Hybrid-format Consortium Meeting. This meeting comprised of key partners from different sectors including members from national ministries, research institutions, municipalities, universities and international collaborators to accelerate Namibia’s progress toward a national water reuse strategy. Maria Amakali, Director of Water Resource Management (MAFWLR) stated: “There is no dirty water – all water works” emphasizing the importance of shifting national attitudes around wastewater.
The meeting served as both a checkpoint and a planning session. Its primary aims focused on reviewing the status of ongoing work packages, namely Technology, Governance and Capacity Development and progress on the Oshakati and Walvis Bay pilot plants. They deliberated on how the Consortium will support the Steering Committee under the Governance Work Package in drafting Namibia’s National Water Reuse Strategy. The meeting also aimed to clarify the project’s long-term vision and what the expected deliverables are.
The Consortium shared major progress on two pilot plants. Walvis Bay - The plant is being expanded with a membrane bioreactor (MBR) and reverse osmosis stage, with clean water trials set to begin later this year. Oshakati - Construction of a demonstration plant is underway. Once completed, it will treat approximately 8 m³ of wastewater per hour. There are also plans to convert leftover sludge into agricultural fertilizer.
NUST and UNAM are to play central roles as NUST is in the process of updating its curriculum to formally include topics of wastewater treatment safety, reuse for agriculture, and innovative water filtration methods, ensuring future professionals are equipped to support sustainable water management. A PhD student at NUST showed great interest in the WaReNam project and in working on the topic. UNAM is conducting a crop selection study for irrigation using treated wastewater, considering crops for both human and animal consumption for the Oshakati plant.
The consortium debated whether the final project output should take the form of a formal National Water Reuse Strategy, a policy framework, or another advisory document. Although participants didn’t unanimously support the term “strategy” at this stage, there was a shared understanding that the final document should guide national direction.
As the project progresses, the Consortium plans to reconvene online in August 2025 for their next meeting. The ISOE team is scheduled to return to Namibia in October to continue on-the-ground activities and host additional sessions. The 3rd WaReNam Consortium meeting reinforced one message: Namibia’s future water security depends on innovation, collaboration, and a fundamental shift in how the country views its most overlooked resource — wastewater.