The Garissa County Government has started drilling boreholes to address the perennial water shortage in the area.
Speaking on Friday after commissioning a borehole at Nuno Centre in Sankuri Ward, water County Executive (CEC), Abdi Omar, said that emergency funds have been secured to address water shortage in Balambala Sub-county Headquarters, Hawajot, Korisa and Kotile trading centres.
Omar, however, expressed concern over the mismanagement of boreholes by the water users committees, adding that “this was a major cause of neglect that eventually render the water infrastructure destroyed”.
“We began drilling this borehole after a breakdown of another in this area. The equipment in the earlier borehole suffered irreparable damage triggering water shortage in this area hence forcing the government to put up a new one,” Omar said.
“The damage was as a result of negligence on the part of the water users committee. We are urging the members to be more responsible because by mismanaging the facility, you are putting the lives of people at risk, especially during dry spell,” he added.
The CEC urged the residents to use the boreholes responsibly and report any damage early enough for repair.
He further assured the community elders that the County Government would hand over the project once it was completed. The boreholes will serve both human and livestock.
Omar hinted of training of the water management committees, noting that there was need for prudent running of the project where minor technical problems and maintenance would be fixed using levies collected without paralyzing water operations.
By Erick Kyalo and Jacob Songok
