Drainage crisis looms in Gaborone
As this year’s rainy season is underway which has culminated in storm water flooding and disruption to people’s lives and businesses in the capital city, Gaborone City Council (GCC) says it has plans in place to address the drainage crisis.
Last week residents of Gaborone took to social media platforms to condemn the city’s drainage system and pleaded for more long term solutions to regular issues caused by overflowing of storm drainage.
The residents expressed concern that stagnant pools of water pose a risk to the public as the recent heavy rains left most residential areas drenched, bridges and roads destroyed as well as destruction to property. However, when addressing the matter, GCC town clerk, Lebuile Israel said the city’s storm water drainage is continuously maintained and plans are underway to resolve the crisis.
Israel conceded that the city experience serious challenges of flooding in both residential areas and public roads due to lack of proper drainage systems, which are consistently blocked by waste. He stated that efforts were made in the past by the GCC to construct storm water drainages in several streets across the city to channel water flow into Segoditshane stream which is the city’s main structure.
“When it is raining water comes from Gabane side flowing heavily into Segoditshane which is consistently filled with garbage, trees and water reeds which block and disrupt the flow of water hence causing floods,” Israel said.
He further stated that there is increased construction activity in the city and most contractors have the habit of leaving behind sand and other building materials. Israel said these remains are then swept away into the trenches when it rains and block the drainage systems.
Furthermore, Israel admitted that the GCC did side storm water drainage which explains why most roads are destroyed on the side by flooding. He said as a solution they are planning to put roadside cab stones around the city.
“There are a lot of improvements in our newly built roads. They have underground storm water drainage systems which are well covered and cab stones by the sides which will be helpful during the rainy season. Back in 2004 we had a storm water drainage master plan that needs to be redeveloped to address the current drainage crisis,” he said.
Israel said plans are underway for a major project at Segoditshane stream that will come with the construction of a wall around the stream boundaries which will also help curb illegal dumping. The project, which is dubbed Segoditshane Corridor Master Plan, is currently at completion stage. It will be done by the Department of Town and Country Planning in collaboration with the GCC.
Israel stated that there are people who are in the habit of cutting trees and dumping them into the streams resulting in water blockage when it rains and the construction of the wall will be a permanent solution to the problem.
“In residential areas there is a problem of weep holes on screen walls. Through building control, council always recommend all screen walls to have weep holes for easy flow of water but some people have decided to close them. We always get response that they fear reptiles like snakes hence blocking the holes,” Israel said.