Pump stations in Botswana have been malfunctioning as a result of blockages caused by improper use of the infrastructure by communities.

This is according to Botswana’s Minister of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources, Kitso Mokaila the Botswana Daily News reported.

In a statement the minister explained that undesirable elements such as blankets, clothes, and disposable nappies were always found in the system during unblocking.

He said as a way of improving the pump stations machinery, and as part of maintenance, Water utilities Corporation (WUC) was in the process of installing shredding machines to scrape materials that would normally render the pump station to malfunction.

This would be implemented during the 2015/2016 financial year. He said the WUC has embarked on a vigorous public education campaign to sensitise communities in the affected areas about the importance of various WUC infrastructures and their dangers.

Mokaila added, routine maintenance on desludging is done every three months on these pump stations and each time there is a blockage, the pump stations are attended to as a matter of urgency to eliminate health hazards associated with pump station malfunctioning.

Francistown West Legislator Ignatius Moswaane had asked the minister if he is aware that the community of Monarch, Area 11 and Maipaahela in Francistown are exposed to a bad smell caused by the non-functioning sewerage pumps on a daily basis and that the Francistown City Council has failed to remedy the situation for the past ten years.

He asked what the minister will do to give the community of Francistown pleasant air in their homes.

–Botswana Daily News