The National Government will implement water projects to improve water supply in Kitui County in an effort to address the perennial water shortage in the county.
Principal Secretary (PS) for State Department of Water and Sanitation, (PS) Dr. Kiprono Ronoh, said that his Ministry had identified critical water projects that will be implemented across the County to improve water supply and tame the historical water shortage in the semi-arid county.
The PS made the remarks, today, while addressing the media after he paid a courtesy call on the area Governor, Dr. Julius Malombe.
“The County requires 50,000m3 of water to address the shortage from the current supply of 11, 000m3 available, which is too little for the county consumption demands,” the PS lamented.
He promised his Ministry will work on increasing water supply volumes from the two main dams to the County, where the Kitui-Masinga Water Supply project will be upgraded to jet in 18,000m3, while Kiambere-Mwingi Water Supply Project will be extended to provide clean water to Mwingi regions of the Kitui County.
“In the Ministry’s Water Master Plan of constructing 100 dams across the country, the Ministry will focus on completing Mwingi-Kiambere water supply project, Kitimui Dam in Kitui West, Thwake Dam which will serve the three Kamba counties of Kitui, Makueni and Machakos, the stalled Umaa Dam project in Kitui Central then embark on the Kindaruma-Kiomo-Mwingi-Migwani pipeline project among others to increase water supply to the local residents,” said Dr Kiprono.
He added that, the government plans to drill boreholes in several schools across the County whose water will be distributed to the community as well.
“The government has plans to address water shortage in a strategic way by building infrastructure to supply water to more households,” the PS affirmed.
On disposal of the town’s liquid waste, he noted that, plans are underway to install solarized water pumping systems at the Kitui town sewerage plant.
Owing to the high cost of pumping power incurred by the local water company, the PS observed that the Ministry will adopt the use of solar power to reduce the cost that currently seats at Sh10 million.
The government is also putting measures in place to monitor water flow from the source by the use of technology hubs linked to Google maps in efforts to reduce losses incurred, resulting from damages and vandalism of water pipes as well as the unmetered water.
“The water loss in Kitui County is at 52per cent, as a result of culprits damaging water infrastructure and leakages. Out of a single m³ per day, we lose 52 per cent, and that is what we call non-revenue water. The percentage results from leakages, commercial issues or other damages of infrastructure,” explained Dr. Ronoh.
The PS gave a stern warning to culprits involved in the vandalization of the water infrastructures.
“I expect the County Government and the County Commissioner to ensure that all culprits who vandalize water infrastructure are brought to book,” the PS told the security agents.
While hosting the PS at his office, the area Governor, Dr. Malombe, said the move by the Ministry to reduce water loss will increase the availability of the commodity for use in rural homes, institutions and irrigation among its other numerous uses, noting that it was a milestone towards achieving water sufficiency in the County and beyond.
The PS and the Governor signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on joint work on controlling non-revenue water losses, reconstruction of water infrastructures and the need to replace the current meters with smart meters.
Dr Malombe also observed his County Administration is working towards reducing non-revenue water from 52 per cent to 2 per cent within a time span of two years.
By Denson Mututo/Margaret Omondi
