The Baringo County Administration is targeting to increase water provision for domestic and agricultural use across its seven sub-counties.
The County Governor, Benjamin Cheboi, has said that his administration is exploiting the availability of a county drilling rig and contracted services, which have seen the successful drilling of more than 40 boreholes.
Cheboi noted that since he assumed office in September 2022, a total of 33 boreholes have been rehabilitated and an additional 24 new ones equipped, with the aim of providing clean and safe water to residents in various areas of the county.
“We project to sink another 40 boreholes using the County drilling equipment, spread across our seven Sub-counties within the next seven months,” said Cheboi at Kabartonjo town.
He said the construction of about ten water pans in remote villages in Tiaty East and West have been completed, which will also support the provision of water, mainly for livestock use.
“The Department of Water has also laid 59 pipelines for intakes in order to serve more people, and over 30 masonry and plastic tanks have been constructed and distributed, respectively,” he said.
Cheboi, flanked by his Deputy, Engineer Felix Kimaiyo, said the move will elevate households depending on dirty water from distant sources, which are often tedious and risky.
“We don’t want our children to spend their quality time searching for water before and after school or our mothers and daughters trekking for several kilometers in search of the commodity in this era and time,” he said.
The governor, who pledged to solve overdependence on motorcycles in the transportation of water in remote areas, said hydro-geological surveys of 80 boreholes and environmental impact assessments for 72 borehole sites have been done to ensure their sustainability.
During the next financial year, the County Water Policy and County Drilling Regulations, which are in the formulation stage, shall be operationalized to ensure better management and operation of rural water supply, which will also translate into better revenue collection mechanisms for the Department, he added.
Baringo North Member of Parliament (MP), Joseph Makilap, said residents from Kabartonjo and its environs will soon benefit from water distribution from the multibillion-dollar Kirandich Dam Project Phase 2, which will also include a sewerage system.
Makilap added that he was lobbying the county government to have Lake Baringo water used for irrigation, noting that this will benefit residents within the lower parts of Baringo North, Baringo South, and Tiaty sub-counties so that they can venture into extensive agriculture and forego other retrogressive activities like cattle rustling and banditry.
“I want to thank the county government because they have considered it a flagship project. We are in the process of talking with the national government, and I am sure they will support our idea so that we can change the economy and the matrix of our people,” said the Baringo North legislator.
By Benson Kelio and Joshua Kibet
