Parliament is at work to address public anger about the water industry, but with surprisingly little media attention

People are fed up with privatised water companies letting us down and ripping us off. We deserve a real conversation about public ownership. Can you help build pressure by asking your MP to attend th...

The UK government has announced proposals for a major overhaul of water regulation as part of the King’s Speech. The planned Water Reform Bill seeks to address ongoing issues such as rising water bills and widespread sewage pollution by adopting a broader approach to tackling pollution sources. This includes not only water companies but also contributions from agriculture and industry. A key element is the creation of a single regulatory body that would combine Ofwat, the Drinking Water Inspectorate, and relevant functions from the Environment Agency and Natural England. This aims to reduce the fragmented oversight that has persisted for decades. The reforms draw on the recommendations of the 2025 Cunliffe review and Labour’s white paper. However, critics argue that the plans represent more of an adjustment to the existing privatised model rather than a fundamental change. There is particular concern that the emphasis remains on making the sector attractive to investors, which many believe has contributed to underinvestment and environmental damage. Public support for public ownership of water services remains strong, as highlighted by groups such as the Clean Water Now coalition. The proposals also include longer-term regional planning, yet important challenges such as climate change receive limited attention in the government’s white paper. Changing rainfall patterns, increased sewage discharges, and water scarcity are pressing issues that require more robust planning and investment. Historical warnings from Ofwat about the need for infrastructure resilience were largely ignored, resulting in no new reservoirs being built for over thirty years. The success of these reforms will depend on whether the new integrated regulator ensures genuine transparency, prioritises environmental protection and infrastructure over shareholder returns, and delivers meaningful improvements in water quality and supply resilience.

Iran’s drought threatens water security, exposing governance failures and demanding urgent reforms for long-term national resilience.

City water officials and consultants told the Public Infrastructure & Utilities Committee on May 13 they need a 40% revenue increase in fiscal 2027 and further modest raises afterward to fund a roughly $442 million six‑year capital program and to restore operating reserves. Public commenters asked for more review time and raised equity concerns about unmetered accounts.

Mayor Tim Hall on the State of the City said the city secured millions in grants and completed major utility upgrades, with a new police station and community center nearing completion and additional long-term water system needs estimated at $25 million over 10 years.

City utility officials presented a five‑year rate proposal to close revenue gaps, rebuild reserves and fund priority water and wastewater repairs. The plan uses a cost‑of‑service approach, a Prop 218 notice timeline and targeted outreach; commissioners asked for more project detail and cybersecurity and fleet cost clarifications.

After a Proposition 218 public hearing and 45 written protests, the Upland City Council adopted multi-year increases to water, sewer and recycled-water charges effective July 1, 2026; staff said the increases are needed to address aging infrastructure, PFAS monitoring and rising wholesale (IEUA) costs, but the council did not reach the two-thirds vote required to place delinquent charges on the property tax roll.

Council emphasizes transparency and priority-setting for the troubled water infrastructure.

Residents urge action on water infrastructure, sidewalks, and traffic safety measures in Early Mart.

Legacy Project team engages stakeholders in Opuwo NBC Online Wed, 07/23/2025 - 19:05

MPs welcome notice to table long-awaited Land Bill NBC Online Thu, 07/10/2025 - 17:04

Bilateral meeting with The Honourable Inge Zaamwani, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform of Namibia  Food and Agriculture Organization

Hertta-Maria Amutenja Grootfontein Municipality says it is losing large volumes of water due to leakages and unaccounted use.  To address this, the town will begin installing prepaid water meters from August 2025, with plans to replace all conventional meters by December. While the move is widely seen as a way to recover unpaid bills, acting chief executive officer Indileni Lungameni said it is also aimed at fixing infrastructural inefficiencies that have cost the town millions. “We want to better account for water consumption or losses through leakages, improve the billing system, and automate the entire billing process,” Lungameni said. The municipality did not reveal the percentage of water being lost, but Lungameni pointed to the issue of “non-revenue water”—water that is produced but not billed due to leaks, faulty meters, or illegal connections. As of May 2025, municipal debts stood at N$217 million, up by 1% from the previous year.  The amount includes arrears for water, refuse removal, and property taxes.  The municipality hopes that prepaid meters will help reduce these debts. A former municipal technician familiar with the system said that towns of similar size often experience water losses between 25% and 30%. “You can’t fix water losses with meters alone. You need investment in infrastructure by replacing pipes, maintaining reservoirs, and monitoring pressure zones. But meters can help pinpoint where the losses are happening,” the technician said. On June 30, the municipality announced the launch of a comprehensive infrastructure master plan to guide long-term repairs and investment.  The municipality has appointed CEPM and Partners Engineers (Pty) Ltd to spearhead the plan’s development and implementation. The plan includes a status quo evaluation of roads, drainage, sewerage, and stormwater systems, an engineering determination of what is needed, and a prioritisation of projects in the short, medium, and long terms. The municipality has deployed 11 field officers, split into smaller teams, to collect data throughout Grootfontein. Residents have been asked to cooperate with the teams.

Hertta-Maria Amutenja  Political analyst Ndumba Kamwanyah has cautioned that Inge Zaamwani’s strong administrative background may not be enough to manage the complex political and social issues within her new ministry. Zaamwani was sworn in as a non-voting member of the National Assembly on Wednesday. President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah appointed her as the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform, replacing Mac Hengari. “She has the background from the Ministry of Mines, and also when she was Namdeb’s Chief Executive Officer, it shows that she is experienced in terms of administration and technocratic matters,” Kamwanyah said.  “But the ministry that she was given is a beast ministry, in the sense that you have the element of agriculture, which is a beast in itself, and you have the fishery, which is also a beast in itself, and then you have water and land reform, which is also a beast in itself. Technocratic skills and experience alone will not be successful in navigating those three elements that make up that ministry, especially more in the particular issue of land, which is a very sensitive issue.” He said land reform is highly political and needs a leader who understands both policy and public grievances. “One also needs to be vested in politics and in community issues. That is the aspect that we need to bring in, because in particular, land is driven by politics. We need to combine both a well-vested self into community issues and the political processes, as well as use a technocratic background to implement the ministry,” he said. Kamwanyah said Zaamwani will have to deal with ongoing issues in the agriculture sector, unresolved rural water problems, and land resettlement that has mostly benefited elites. “We haven’t really done a lot to transform our agriculture sector. There has always been a slow process to implement. Water is an issue, more in particular in rural areas, especially in terms of water infrastructure. Land itself is very sensitive. We need to balance the politics that come with the land issues, whether for the landless people or the resettlement process that people figure out has only taken place at the elite level,” Kamwanyah said. Human rights activist Rosa Namises said Zaamwani’s appointment must focus on long-standing issues in the ministry, especially food security and women’s role in agriculture. “Her appointment brings in a new input into looking into old files that are already there. Agriculture is our food foundation, and women have been known for a long time to be working on land, producing, planting and harvesting. There are questions on food security, climate change in terms of agriculture,” Namises said. She said rural communities still struggle with water supply, especially in areas where people were resettled without proper infrastructure. “Water is a sacred thing for us. We know that the water point committees have had their challenges, and they have not been given the needed support to maintain water. Some communities have been resettled without proper water infrastructure.” Namises said Zaamwani will also face high public expectations in the fisheries sector. “There are already standing issues with fishermen. We must not forget what we have put in and what she has found in the ministry already. We want to see a woman who will be supported by those of us utilising those services,” she said. Zaamwani began her career in 1984 as a project officer for the SWAPO Women’s Council in Lusaka.  She worked in the Ministry of Mines and Energy from 1995 to 1998. In 1999, she was appointed managing director of Namdeb and held the role until 2015. She has served on various boards, including Air Namibia, First National Bank of Namibia Holdings, Extract Resources, Fishcor, NamGem, the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the UNAM Council. Before her recent appointment, she was a special advisor to the President on constitutional affairs and private sector interface.  President Nandi-Ndaitwah believes that Zaamwani will unlock opportunities for value addition, job creation and food security in the sectors under her portfolio.

Presidential advisor Inge Zaamwani-Kamwi is tipped to take over as the new minister of agriculture, fisheries, water and land reform following the dismissal of Mac Hengari, who was arrested on bribery charges. The Namibian understands that Zaamwani-Kamwi, the presidential advisor on constitutional affairs and private sector interface, is set to take over from Hengari. Zaamwani-Kamwi, a former Namdeb Holdings chief executive, on Monday told The Namibian she is on a transitional way out of the president’s office, and is waiting for new people to come in. “This is news to me. I am sorry I can’t verify that news for you” she said. Zaamwani-Kamwi added that she was not approached for the role. “I wish it was true. As far as I am concerned, I was not approached. I remain an advisor in the transition period. When people come, I go home.” Hengari, was relieved of his ministerial duties by president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah last week, after it emerged that he had been arrested and accused of multiple serious offences, including rape, kidnapping, abortion and attempting to defeat the course of justice. He also allegedly attempted to bribe a young woman to withdraw rape charges stemming from incidents that reportedly occurred when she was still a minor. The post Zaamwani-Kamwi lined up to replace Hengari after arrest scandal appeared first on The Namibian.

[Namibia Economist] The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform, Mac-Albert Hengari, has resigned following his arrest, the state broadcaster (NBC) reported Sunday, citing Press Secretary at the Presidency Alfredo Hengari.