Life force About 120 000 people are expected to benefit from a US$36 million project to extend the Rundu water treatment plant in Namibia. Rundu is Namibia’s second-largest local authority and one of the fastest-growing areas in the country. The AfDB, which is financing the project through the through the US$900 million Namibia Water Sector programme, says it entails the complete replacement of the existing abstraction systems and purification plants at Rundu in order to meet the 2037 water demand of 36 megalitres a day. The work will be carried out by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, reports Afrik21. ‘The current water supply infrastructure in Rundu has surpassed its useful economic lifespan, making it increasingly difficult to meet the growing water demands of our population. As the town expands and the population grows, the strain on our existing systems intensifies. We must act decisively to address these issues,’ Namibia’s agriculture and water minister, Calle Schlettwein, said at the groundbreaking ceremony for the project. 9 July 2024 Image: Freepik