Windhoek — Lüderitz boasts a modern sewage effluent treatment plant that produces semi-purified water suitable for agricultural and irrigational purposes.

Constructed at a cost of N$38 million, the plant treats an average of 2 000 cubic meters of raw sewage per day.

The plant is designed to render an effluent that complies with the standards required by the new Water Act, as administered by the Department of Water Affairs in Namibia.

"Sanitation remains a great concern not only in rural areas, but also in urban areas as was rightfully recently observed by President Hifikepunye Pohamba, that in urban areas the problem is in informal settlements where many inhabitants resort to 'flying toilets' in their moments of need," said Dr Elisabeth Pape, the European Commission Ambassador to Namibia.

Last year's African Economic Outlook Report by the African Development Bank (ADB) and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) said while Namibia is ahead of schedule in meeting the Millennium Development Goals on access to drinking water, less progress has been achieved in sanitation.

Currently, only 13 percent of the rural population has access to improved sanitation compared to 8 percent in 1990.

The financing agreement came from the European Development Fund of the European Union. Dr Pape said for the purpose of achieving the anticipated results, the EU assisted with the provision of a waterborne sewer pipe network for four new residential areas for an amount of N$8 million.

The N$30 million was spent on the sewage effluent treatment plant as well as the upgrading of various pump stations and pipelines in the sewer system.

The EU has also assisted in upgrading sanitation systems in waterborne sewer pipe network systems in Otavi, Karibib, Outjo and Karasburg at a cost of N$40 million.

The Lüderitz plant comprises new inlet works, upgraded oxidation ponds, a biological nutrient removal reactor, bioclarifiers, chlorinator channel, sludge drying beds, control building for plant operators and a laboratory for the control of the process.

Construction of the plant started during June 2006 and the work was completed by December 2007.