The Ministry of Water and Human Settlement is mandated to provide water infrastructure and potable water, sanitation services and decent housing through different programmes and initiatives.
The Ministry is responsible for the provision and potable water through the Water Utilities Corporation, provision of housing for government employees and decent housing in Botswana.
The Ministry consists of 4 Departments and 2 Parastatals being Water Utilities Corporation and Botswana Housing Corporation.
- Department of Corporate Services.
- Department of Water and Sanitation.
- Department of Technical Services.
- Department of Housing.
Ministry Parastatals:
Water Utilities Corporation ) www.wuc.bw
Botswana Housing Corporation www.bhc.bw
Department of Water and Sanitation
The Department is responsible for Water resource management and planning. The mandate of the department seeks to ensure that the limited water resources are protected, managed conserved and used sustainability for the benefit of all life forms and the economy, in an integrated manner.
The main functions of the Department are;
- Water resource management
- Water resource planning
- Water resource protection and monitoring
Hydro-Informatics
- Integrated Water Resources Data Management
- Instrumentation and Telemetry (procurement & maintenance)
Water Resources Planning & Modelling
- Ground and Surface Water Resources Identification
- Flood Forecasting and Early Warning
- International Water protocols and agreements
- Water Resources Modelling
Water Resource Management
- Water Accounting
- Water Resources Protection
- Waste Water Management
- Water Conservation and Demand Management
- Water Resource Monitoring & Evaluation
Sanitation Resource Management
- Coordination & monitoring of sanitation performance
- Resource recovery
- Bio solids management
- On-site sanitation management
- Risk management of reuse
Laboratory Services
- Laboratory Services
Water Apportionment Board
- To grant, deny, vary and withdraw/ cancel water rights
- National Water Accounting and Apportionment of the countries water resources
- Regulate and coordinate all activities relating to and affecting abstractions, use and quality of the resource
- Monitor adherence, compliance to water rights
- Water rights enforcements.
- To impose adequate controls for ensuring safe disposal of sewage effluent into public streams and prevention of pollution to the viable water resources and the entire environment
- Regulate wastewater discharges to surface water (rivers, dams, etc.) and to groundwater (via land)
- To ensure proper coordination of all activities which may influence the quality, quantity, distribution, use, management and administration of water resources
To ensure compliance with any relevant international agreement regulating the use of water
Department of Technical Services
Department of Technical Services (DTS) came as a result of Presidential Directive CAB Memo 39/2002 in 2007 and exist to provide land servicing infrastructure within urban and major centers, together the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) from the former Ministry of Minerals, Energy and Water Energy Resources (MMEWR) formed specifically to implement development project for the Ministry.
This infrastructure is in the form of:
- Dams and Major Pipelines, treatment plants, pump/lift stations
- Water and Sanitation infrastructure
- Land Servicing in the form of roads and storm water drainage, sewerage and water reticulation, power reticulation, and telecommunication ducts
The overall mandate covers:
Project infrastructure & Reporting
- Responsible for design of PM methodology and tools and improve effectiveness.
- Advises project steering committee on project prioritisation and resource allocation.
- Track and consolidate info on projects and reports to steering committee & advice on future actions.
- Maintain and update project data bank
Project Implementation
- Prepares PM and administer procurement
- Create activity schedules, resource plans , budgets, project controls and QA plans
- Attends project reviews and conduct site visits
- Conducts post implementation reviews
Contract Administration
- Designs contracts and participates on contract negotiations
- Advise project teams and management on contractual issues
- Effect changes in the contract that may arise
- Maintains proper contract documentation and records
Planning and Project Finance
- Coordinates budget submissions to MFED.
- Monitors whether public monies are being used as intended and are producing the intended economic benefit.
- Advises MFED on impact of expenditure.
- Analyses progress and implementation of sectoral plans and report to MFED.
Department of Corporate Services
- Corporate Services is responsible for providing leadership, support and management of Ministry of Water and Human Settlement.
- It serves as the ministry’s focal point for national policy and operational matters relating to human resources management and development, financial management, general administration, information technology, public relations and technical support.
