The Oshakati treatment plant is the second largest in the country able to produce 40 000 m3 daily. It serves large areas of the Oshana, Ohangwena and Oshikoto regions with drinking water.
The water treatment starts at the flash mixer where lime and flocculant are dosed. Chlorine is added for disinfection after flash mixing.
From the flash mixer, the water flows through the flocculation channels, where the suspended particles in the water react with the flocculant to form larger particles referred to as “floc”.
The water takes about 45 minutes through the flocculation channels, before reaching the settlers. Here the floc settles to the bottom and is withdrawn periodically. The resulting sludge is disposed of in evaporations ponds.
The clear water together with the remaining unsettled floc then flows via a short channel to the sand filters, the final step of purification.
Once filtered, the water is received by a clear water well. Further chlorine is added in the clear water well for final disinfection.
The drinking water is then pumped to larger reservoirs and from there transferred into various pipelines, which take the water as far North as Oshikango, as far south as Omapale and as far east as Omutsegwonime.
