Water Governance in Botswana

Botswana faces significant water scarcity and rising demand, yet its water governance remains centralised with slow institutional reform. While the government has adopted Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) principles and developed an IWRM-water efficiency (IWRM-WE) plan, implementation is hindered by outdated legislation, such as the 1968 Water Act, and a lack of a formal water pricing policy. The document highlights a critical need to shift from supply-side expansion—such as the construction of dams and north-south water carriers—toward water demand management (WDM) to ensure long-term sustainability and financial viability.

• Botswana is characterized by water scarcity, endemic drought, and varied rainfall, with water demand projected to increase from 193.4Mm3 in 2000 to 285.8 cubic megametres (Mm3) per year by 2030.
• Water governance in Botswana remains overly centralised, and although the government acknowledges Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) principles, this adoption is described as largely rhetorical 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 is still awaiting Parliamentary approval.
• The government has focused heavily on increasing supply through infrastructure, including the construction of the Dikgatlhong, Thune, and Lotsane dams and the expansion of north-south water carriers (NSC-1 and NSC-2), but these efforts are complicated by system water losses averaging 19–26% (3.5Mm3 a year).
• There is a critical need to shift from supply expansion to water demand management (WDM) because continued expansion will lead to unsustainable costs and the country has exhausted almost all suitable dam sites.
• The water sector faces financial instability, with the Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) reporting costs that exceeded revenues between 2010 and 2014, raising risks regarding water affordability and the government's ability to maintain subsidies.
• Groundwater is under pressure from increased abstraction, particularly by self-providers like mines and farmers, and current abstraction limits are often exceeded with few punitive measures applied.

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} }