Lesotho Water and diamonds are Lesotho's significant natural resources. Water is used through the 21-year, multibillion-dollar Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP), under the authority of the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority. The project commenced in 1986. The LHWP is designed to capture, store, and transfer water from the Orange River system to South Africa's Free State and greater Johannesburg area, which features a large concentration of South African industry, population, and agriculture. Completion of the first phase of the project has made Lesotho almost completely self-sufficient in the production of electricity and generated approximately US$70 million in 2010 from the sale of
Infrastructure of Lesotho Infrastructure of Lesotho Lesotho faces issues with clean water and sanitation; most notably access to drinkable water sources that are uncontaminated and their inadequate public sanitation. With a government who does not support many large water projects to improve infrastructure and hygienic practices because they consider them to be cost ineffective has lead to little progress in the aspects of providing clean water and sanitation to the citizens of Lesotho. Foreign and Lesotho NGOs, play an important role in the region, especially in the more rural confines of the country. The Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) was originated in the