The Orange-Senqu Basin, spanning Namibia, Botswana, South Africa and Lesotho, is one of the most water-stressed regions in Southern Africa. Precipitation varies considerably from year to year, mostly falling during highly localised, intense storms. Maseru, the capital of Lesotho, has a population of around 250,000. Water for the city is abstracted from the transboundary Mohokare/Caledon River, treated at the waterworks in Maseru and pumped to customers. Approximately half of the treated water is lost through water leakage. Reducing losses – the physical loss of water across the
distribution system and the economic loss from unauthorised consumption, bypassed meters, inaccurate meter readings and ineffective billing – offers opportunities for Lesotho’s water company to increase revenues and improve water supply services.
