The County Government of Bomet has pledged to conserve the environment as well as improve on water supply in the wake of climate change.
Governor Prof Hillary Barchok said the county has set up a multi-sectoral committee to oversee the management and conservation of fragile ecosystems such as Chepalungu Forest Complex that the county is presently rehabilitating.
He said owing to concerted efforts by various stakeholders, forest cover in Bomet had increased from 19 per cent in 2019 to 22 percent this year.
The vigorous afforestation campaign, the governor added has resulted in Bomet becoming the second leading county with the highest forest cover after Nyeri.
“The enactment of the Climate Change Act in 2021 was timely considering that the issue is now a global concern,” said Barchok adding: “Protection, conservation and management of our environment remains a top priority of my administration.”
In collaboration with the Kenya Red Cross Society, he said the County Government has vowed to complete the mega Chepchabas water project that is expected to supply water to over 90,000 households in Kimulot, Chapchabas and Boito wards.
In addition, Barchok said the environment department was going on with a program of protecting natural springs and de-silting of water pans especially in Bomet East and Chepalungu Sub-Counties that are arid and semi-arid regions respectively.
At the same time, the Governor said ‘water for all’ remained his administration’s ultimate target saying water connectivity ought to be expanded from the current 20,000 households while automating water billing systems.
He said the target would be achieved once the ongoing Bomet-Longisa-Mulot water supply project is completed in less than two years.
The project, which costs 1.7 billion and undertaken by Lake Victoria South Water Works Development Agency, will entail construction of a water intake at Nyongores River and installation of a water treatment plant.
The Governor said other projects being undertaken by the agency include a Sh3.9 Koita community water project in Bomet East that is projected to serve 1000 families and a similar Sh5.3 Kabusare project in Bomet Central that will supply over 2000 households with clean, affordable and reliable water.
He said a majority of schools and households in those areas depended on rain water and rivers for water making them susceptible to water borne ailments such as typhoid and cholera.
By Kipngeno Korir
