Guides
Beat the coming heat: a pre-spring water and electricity checklist for Gaborone homes
Government has warned of a very strong El Niño for the coming rainy season. The last cool weeks of winter are the cheapest time to make the water and electricity moves that protect a household budget before the heat arrives.
August in Gaborone is the last cool stretch before September and October turn hot and dry. This year there is a specific reason to prepare early: on 11 August 2026, Mmegi reported that government has warned of a more than 90% chance of a very strong El Niño that could scorch crops, drain water sources and put pressure on dams, pipelines and communal watering points during the 2026-2027 rainy season.
What the warning means for households
Environment and Tourism Minister Wynter Mmolotsi told Parliament that the system is expected to dominate the country's rainfall season from October 2026 to March 2027, with conditions already present and forecast to strengthen between October and January (as reported by Mmegi, 11 August 2026). For a household budget that means two things: water will matter more, and hotter days will push electricity demand up.
The water checklist
Fix small leaks now, while plumbers are easier to book than they will be in the October heat. Store drinking water safely in clean, covered containers for the dry spells.
Follow Water Utilities Corporation notices for your area: at the time of writing (14 August 2026) we found no new restriction notice on the gov.bw homepage, but restrictions can be announced at short notice as the El Niño takes hold.
The electricity checklist
The Botswana Power Corporation publishes energy-saving guidance on its website, including demand-side-management tips. Simple habits pay off most when the heat arrives: cook larger batches and reheat, shade west-facing windows, and clean or service cooling equipment before the hot season starts.
What we deliberately left out
We publish no tariff figures in this guide. The BPC tariff information page requires a portal login and no rate schedule could be verified non-interactively on 14 August 2026.
Until a dated tariff notice is confirmed, we recommend only the energy- and water-saving measures above, not specific appliance purchases.
When to act
The useful window is short. Once October arrives, demand for cooling and water rises and the chance of load-management or restriction notices increases.
Small fixes done in the last weeks of winter are the cheapest protection a household can buy.
Prepare the house now, while the nights are still cool and the trades are still available. A dry, hot El Niño season is expensive; a checklist finished in August is not.
See also
