Over five thousand residents in areas of Embu that have been without water supply for the past 11 days can now expect the supply to be restored over the weekend.
The supply was disrupted when Njiru Construction Company which is upgrading a road near the Kenya School of Government damaged 800 meters of an 8-inch diameter pipeline that fed densely populated Majimbo and Kamiu estates.
Days of tussling between the contractor and the Embu Water and Sanitation Company (EWASCO) over who should repair the damage delayed the commencement of the repair works, leaving residents to draw untreated water from local streams.
Among the institutions worst hit by the resultant crisis were the Tenri and Joykim Hospitals, the Embu GK Prison, the Embu slaughter house and several hotels in the area.
The EWASCO Managing Director, Hamilton Karugendo told the media Thursday that they had received the pipes needed for the repairs earlier yesterday and that laying of the new pipes would start immediately.
“If need be we shall have the workers on overtime pay to see to it that the work is finished as soon as possible,” Karugendo said.
Apologizing to the residents in the delays in the repairs, Karugendo blamed it on a standoff where the contractor had refused to take responsibility for the damage.
He added that it took the intervention of the Ministry of Infrastructure officials who called a meeting on Monday where it was agreed that Njiru Contractors repair the damage.
Although we could not get the contractor to explain why it had taken four days to repair the pipeline, the MD explained that he was aware that the contractor had had to order the pipes from Nairobi, causing the delay.
By Steve Gatheru
