Since its establishment, the Erongo Desalination Plant has been recognised as an enabler for the region's modern economy.
This year, the plant marks 15 years of existence.
It is located about 30 kilometres from Swakopmund, near the Wlotzkasbaken settlement.
Without the utility, many industries, including mining and tourism, as well as coastal municipalities, would not have had water security.
"When this plant first came online, it was a beacon of hope. We faced a critical water scarcity challenge, one that threatened to stifle our potential. Mines, the bedrock of our regional economy, required secure water supplies to operate and expand. Our growing towns, Swakopmund, Walvis Bay, Arandis, and Henties Bay, faced increasing pressure on their municipal systems. The Erongo Desalination Plant was the bold solution," said Governor Neville Andre.
According to Tommie Gouws, the Managing Director at Orano, more than 123 million cubic litres of water have been provided over the years.
"This is the largest industrial-size desalination plant in Southern Africa, and to put it into context, we are only halfway there; we can actually still duplicate and double the size. Soon, towards the end of this month, we are going to be commissioning a solar project where we are able to substitute about 30% of our power from a solar plant."
The provision of desalinated water involves a process called reverse osmosis, where salt and other impurities are removed from seawater to make it fit for human consumption.
The process is dangerous for the individuals who operate the utility, but over the past 15 years of operation, no injuries have been reported or lives lost.
"There's quite a lot of harm in the reverse osmosis building, that being a bullet zone, and what that means is there is such high pressure inside that building in those vessels. Should something go wrong and one of the valves break, if you are within range, it will fire at you at the speed of a bullet. But they have managed to do that for the last 15 years without a single incident of harm in an ongoing incident."
The plant is owned by Orano Mining and managed by NAFASI Water Technologies, with Namwater being their client.
The utility is fully run by young Namibian engineers and technicians.