Nakuru County has started constructing a sewer line and manhole connections at Machanga estate in Kivumbini ward in Nakuru East Sub-County.
The 300 meters pipe system will carry sewer from households to the main disposal facility, saving area residents foul smell from effluent sewer waste.
While on an inspection tour of the site today, Sub-County Water officer Eng. Kelvin Kimwele said the County administration has focused its efforts and resources not only on the rehabilitation but also on expansion of the existing sewerage and construction of new lines to manage waste better.
Once complete, the new line will change the estate’s prospects, increase land prices and attract more development, he added.
He said sewer lines played a critical role in environmental maintenance through various mechanisms such as prevention of water and soil contamination.
He explained that sewer lines collect and transport waste water from homes, businesses, and industries to treatment facilities, preventing untreated sewage from polluting rivers, lakes and oceans.
Also, Eng. Kimwele said proper sewage disposal prevents the leaching of harmful substances into the soil, which could affect plant growth and enter the food chain.
He noted that by safely transporting and treating waste, sewer lines reduced the spread of pathogens that caused waterborne diseases like cholera, dysentery, and hepatitis.
Heightening the importance of sewer lines, Eng. Kimwele said proper sewage management eliminated stagnant water sources that could become breeding grounds for pests such as mosquitoes and rodents, which transmit diseases.
Besides, he noted that treated wastewater was less likely to contain harmful chemicals and nutrients that could cause eutrophication; a process that depletes oxygen in water bodies, harming fish and other aquatic organisms.
Additionally, he emphasized the important role sewer lines played in mitigation of climate change impacts through the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
Eng. Kimwele clarified that properly managed sewer systems could capture and treat methane gas, a potent greenhouse gas produced during the decomposition of organic waste.
Furthermore, he stated that well designed sewer systems managed storm water effectively, reducing the risk of urban flooding, which in the recent past has been exacerbated by climate change.
The chairman of Nyumba Kumi Peter Kimani commended the county government noting that the sewer lines would assist in managing and containing odors associated with wastewater, contributing to a more pleasant urban environment.
By Veronica Bosibori
