EIA for the proposed Desalination Plant North of Swakopmund:

Social Impact Assessment

Structure

1. Issues to be addressed2. Legal framework/policy guidance3. Main Findings4. Overlaps5. Impacts and Mitigations

Issues to be addressed: ScopingIssues Description

Expected increase in Population size

• Increased pressure on resources, services, informal settlement, communicable diseases.

• Unemployment

Employment creation • Benefits and risks associated with additional employment creation and job seekers including employment creation, poverty reduction, increased informal settlement, increased pressure on local housing facilities and services.

Education and Skills Transfer

• Increased educational opportunities and skills transfer

Rates and Taxes • Benefits related to increased rates and taxes

Impacts on existing industrial base

• Extent to which development would influence the existing industrial ventures

Waster disposal and sewerage issues

• How will this be handled and can it be accommodated

Issues to be addressed: Scoping (ctd)Issues Description

Social, recreational and tourism impacts

• How would the project influence recreational fishing, tourism and other social processes

Economic benefit • Contribution to economic structure and existing socio-economic trend in the coastal towns

• Sale of water from the desalination plant

Affordability • Affordability of water

Beneficiaries • Who benefits and who pays?

Safety and security • What are the safety and security issues pertaining to the proposed plant?

Legislation and Policy Guidelines

Used• National policy guidelines– Poverty Reduction Strategy– Poverty Reduction Action Plan– Vision 2030– NDP3

• Planning and Environmental Legislation– Town Planning Ordinance– Townships and Division of Land Ordinance– Local Authorities Act– Regional Councils Act– Environmental Management Bill

Main Findings• Vision 2030

– Articulates Namibia’s Vision for the future– Sub – Visions dealing with free movement, urbanisation, urban

management, open, competitive and diversified economy, strategic exploitation of mineral resources, and maintenance of vital ecological processes.

• NDP3– Puts Vision into practice.– Sustainability– Competitive economy– Provision of infrastructure to support development– Promotion of development of new mines– Even mentions desalination of seawater

Main Findings (ctd)• National and Regional Issues

– High levels of urbanisation– High levels of unemployment– Huge income disparities– Skills mismatch– High levels of HIV/AIDS– Wide disparities in infrastructural development– Erongo - second most affluent region– Sustained growth in GDP– Growth in primary and Secondary GDP contributions– Investing in people, especially education and health a problem

Main Findings (ctd)• Local Issues

– High levels of urbanisation– High levels of unemployment– Huge income disparities– High levels of HIV/AIDS– Institutional capacity– Regulatory frameworks effective– Affordability limits LA ability to respond– Affluent communities and sought after destination

• Site ability to accommodate– Mining licenses– EPL– Private Game Reserve– Solid waste limitations

Main Findings (ctd)

Main Findings (ctd)

Overlaps• Solid waste and wastewater• Visual impact and noise• Coastal access• Sustainability of demand • decommissioning

Impacts: the “red herrings”• National Affordability (can we afford not to?)

– Project design and funding– Agreements

• Operational and Financial Risks– The Uranium boom as underlying driver - risk

• Uncontrolled/ undesirable development• Risk of Population Influx• Influence of the new sewage works• Future use of the pipeline servitude• Impact on Tourism and recreational fishing

Impacts: the real issues• Conflict with other development plans

– Mining license and private game reserve.– Mitigation – up-front agreements– EPL on land

• Conflict with Marine Use– EPL licenses– Clarify rights

• Employment creation– Direct Limited - enhancement to benefit locals– Downstream ( Mines and Contractors) e.g. Rossing 1175

employees and 870 contractors– Langer Heinrich 132 employees and 304 contractors

Impacts: the real issues (ctd)• Drive regional economic development

– Not directly since water will not benefit local authorities– Downstream contracting important– Free water for industrial development

• Waste production and Treatment– Major quantities– Swakop landfill cannot handle– Seek mitigation measures– Not simple to operate and EMA requirements. – Other alternatives