Water Governance in Botswana

This policy briefing analyzes the water governance structure of Botswana, highlighting the country's water scarcity and the need for institutional reform. It argues that while the government has developed strategies like the 2013 IWRM-WE plan and a 2012 draft water policy, implementation has been slow, with outdated legislation and a continued reliance on supply-side expansion over demand management.

• Botswana faces significant water scarcity characterized by endemic drought and varied rainfall, with mean annual rainfall of 416mm, ranging from 650mm in the north to 250mm in the south-west.
• Water demand is projected to increase significantly, from 193.4Mm3 in 2000 to a forecast of 285.8 cubic megametres (Mm3) per year by 2030.
• The government's approach to water management is criticized as being largely rhetorical regarding integrated water resources management (IWRM), remaining centralized with minimal stakeholder participation.
• Institutional and legal reforms are lagging; the Water Act has not been revised since 1968, and a 2012 draft water policy still awaits Parliamentary approval.
• Infrastructure challenges include significant system water losses, which averaged 19–26% (or 3.5Mm3 a year) according to 2014 accounts, costing approximately $1.01 million.
• To address supply gaps, the government is expanding the north-south carrier (NSC-1) and constructing NSC-2 (estimated at $854 million in 2010) and NSC-3 to transfer water to southern and south-eastern regions.
• The Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) experienced a financial deficit between 2010 and 2014, with costs exceeding revenues, raising concerns about the future affordability of water and the government's ability to maintain subsidies.
• Groundwater abstraction is a critical concern, as limits (set at 22.75Mm3 a year for mining, agriculture, and industry) are often exceeded, and punitive measures are rarely applied if employment is at risk.

APA

Setlhogile, T., & Harvey, R. (2015). Water Governance in Botswana. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Policy-Briefing-144.pdf

Chicago

Setlhogile, Tshepo, and Ross Harvey. Water Governance in Botswana. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2015. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Policy-Briefing-144.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Setlhogile |first1=Tshepo |last2=Harvey |first2=Ross |title=Water Governance in Botswana |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=October 2015 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Policy-Briefing-144.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{setlhogile2015water, author = {Setlhogile, Tshepo and Harvey, Ross}, title = {{Water Governance in Botswana}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2015}, month = oct, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Policy-Briefing-144.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }