Namibia Breweries Limited (NBL) has expressed concerns about the low water levels in dams in the central areas of Namibia, citing the anticipated drought this rainy season. The company's managing director, Waldemar von Lieres, stated that while they are worried, they have the ability to pump water from their boreholes if needed.
According to Von Lieres, the water levels in the central dams are below 45%, which is a cause for concern. However, NBL has made significant progress in reducing its water usage, with a 30% reduction since 2024. The company aims to further reduce its water usage to 2.4 litres per litre of beer by 2030, with a current usage of 3.5 litres of water for every litre of beer produced in 2025.
NamWater's weekly dam bulletin dated 28 September reported a net loss in water supply for the central area, which includes Windhoek, with a drop of 0.867 million cubic meters. The region's capacity is currently at 44%. Specifically, Swakoppoort Dam decreased slightly to 67.2% capacity, holding 42.6 million cubic meters, while Von Bach Dam decreased to 53.1% capacity, holding 25.2 million cubic meters.
Omatako Dam remains completely empty. To manage the declining reserves, NamWater confirmed that water transfers are being routed from the Swakoppoort Dam into the Von Bach Dam to maintain sufficient supply levels for central consumers. Meanwhile, Windhoek's local reservoirs, Friedenhau and Goreangab, remained relatively stable, averaging 64.1% capacity for the Windhoek sub-total.
In contrast to the central deficits, Namibia's southern region experienced strong gains, boosting the national average. The southern dams received a combined net inflow of 3.093 million cubic meters during the week ending 28 September, pushing the regional sub-total to 87.9% of full capacity. The massive Neckartal Dam, the country's largest reservoir, remains at 100% capacity, holding 857.7 million cubic meters of water.
Other southern dams also reported strong figures, with Naute Dam overflowing at 103.1% capacity, and Hardap Dam increasing to 56.8% capacity. However, some dams in the southern region, such as Dreihuk Dam and Bondels Dam, remained low or empty. The Gobabis sub-total sits at a low 15.9% capacity, with the region's main reservoir, the Otjivero Main Dam, languishing at just 19.6%.
The current national total of 79.4% is slightly down from the 83.1% recorded during the same period last season. NBL's efforts to reduce its water usage and reliance on renewable energy sources, with 91% of energy now sourced from renewable sources and 88% of production waste diverted from landfills, demonstrate its commitment to sustainability.
Key points
- NBL is concerned about low water levels in central dams.
- The company has measures in place to mitigate the impact of drought.
- Namibia's southern region experienced strong gains in water levels.
