The government has set aside Sh45 million for water projects in Laikipia County.
Water, Sanitation and Irrigation Chief Administrative Secretary Dr. Andrew Tuimur said that the projects would include construction of water pans, high volume water tanks and de-silting of existing dams and would be undertaken by the National Water Harvesting and Storage Authority (NWHSA) in the 2020/2021 financial year.
Speaking in Nanyuki town on Thursday when he met Laikipia Governor Ndiritu Muriithi after signing a Memorandum of Understanding between NWHSA and the county government, Dr. Tuimur said that his ministry was keen on recharging water coverage in the country to raise it from the current 62 percent to 100 percent by the year 2030.
The CAS added that the MOU would see collaboration in implementation of water projects through government to government tendering system that would otherwise cut the lengthy open tendering system.
Dr. Tuimur further said that his ministry was seeking ways of recharging underground water by tapping rainwater in order to raise the water levels for wells and boreholes.
“A lot of rainwater drains to the ocean and ends up not being as useful as it would have been intended. That’s why we are keen on tapping as much rainwater in dams to enrich our underground sources of water,” Tuimur said.
Governor Muriithi lauded the signing of the MOU noting that it would assist his government and the authority work together in improvement of water harvesting and storage in the county.
He added that his administration would not approve construction of any new building without a clear water harvesting and storage plan.
“We have a subsisting order and legislation in Laikipia that all new building must have rainwater harvesting and storage mechanisms,” he said.
The Governor further said that his administration was encouraging residents to continue to improve capacity to harvest and store water.
By Martin Munyi
