Windhoek could be facing water shortages as a result of very little rain and a severe drop in water levels in the three dams that supply the city.

This is according to the latest NamWater dam bulletin.

The New Era Newspaper reported that the delay in the rain along with continuing heatwaves and dropping water levels have raised fears at the City of Windhoek.

This is because the three dams supplying the 330 000 Windhoek residents only have a combined total volume of 46 percent.

This has prompted the city fathers to urge for an immediate 10 percent reduction in water usage among residents, the paper reports.

Von Bach is currently 57 percent full, Swakopport 43.3 percent while Omatako is 12 percent full.

“Although we had a reasonably good rainy season, the inflow of water into the dams that are supplying Windhoek is insufficient.

“If Windhoek experiences low rainfall, it will lead to a serious water shortage crisis,” said the city’s public relations officer Lydia Amutenya, speaking to New Era.

The national water utility company, NamWater supplies Windhoek with a monthly quota of water, which should sustain the reservoirs only until June 2015.

The remainder of the city’s water comes from boreholes that are normally reserved for use during times of droughts. “Already [last] month [December 2014], Windhoek residents have consumed 10 percent of the water earmarked for 2015,” added Amutenya.

As though a precursor some Windhoek residents were slapped with exorbitant utility bills for November/December for exceeding the water limits per household.

Windhoek is already subjected to tighter water restrictions that are reviewed every rainy season.

However, the water shortage is not only confined to Windhoek, and NamWater says due to the absence of good downpours in November and December 2014 in most parts of the country, the levels of major dams in the central areas are slightly lower than in the corresponding period in 2014.

-The New Era Newspaper