The engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for the proposed US$170 million Erongo desalination plant is expected to be awarded by early September, with construction scheduled to begin before the end of the year.
Speaking during a panel discussion at the Chamber of Mines Mining Expo and Conference, Swakop Uranium Executive Vice President Irvin Simataa said procurement for the project had reached its final stages following years of planning and negotiations.
The desalination plant will be developed through Sunam Desalination (Pty) Ltd, a joint venture between Swakop Uranium and NamWater established after Cabinet approved the partnership structure.
“The procurement process has advanced to the stage that key decisions have been made and we are only left with a few final touch-ups. We are suggesting that by the end of August or beginning of September we should have awarded the contract, and before the end of this year we should start construction of that desalination plant,” Simataa said.
Simataa said discussions around the Erongo desalination project date back 21 years, while Swakop Uranium became directly involved six years ago after proposing a partnership model to help advance the development.
He said the company committed financial capacity, technical expertise and long-term water demand to strengthen the commercial viability of the project on behalf of the mining industry.
“Swakop Uranium entered this conversation some six years ago on behalf of the mining industry. We offered to provide the financial capability, the technical capability and, most importantly, the demand profile. We will be consuming at least 50% of the water coming from that desalination plant,” Simataa said.
Following Cabinet approval, Swakop Uranium and NamWater concluded the joint venture terms in December 2025 before establishing Sunam Desalination, which now has its own board and management team.
Simataa said that although Swakop Uranium is a shareholder in the desalination company, all treated water will be sold through NamWater in accordance with existing legislation.
“Sunam Desalination will produce the water, which will be sold to the only entity allowed by regulation to sell water, which is NamWater. Swakop Uranium will buy water just like any other customer. Our interest is to ensure reliable water supply and to bring the cost of water down,” Simataa said.
He said reliable and competitively priced water infrastructure is critical to supporting future mining developments in the Erongo Region.
The desalination plant will have a design capacity of 20 million cubic metres of water per year and is expected to be completed and commissioned in 2028.
Once operational, the plant is expected to strengthen water security for mining, industrial and domestic demand in the Erongo Region and surrounding areas.
