The installation of a mega water project and sewerage system in Narok town and its environs over the last five years has become a big relief to the Narok business community and town dwellers.
The water project serving over 50, 000 town dwellers was commissioned in the year 2017 by President Uhuru Kenyatta, essentially solving residents’ water challenges, while the sewerage system is complete, running and ready for commissioning.
Interviewed by Kenya News Agency (KNA), Fred Kiriu 35, a resident of Majengo estate in Narok town said the relief and consequent happiness that came with the inception of the water project in 2017, knows no bounds for his family noting since then, the family has been enjoying a consistent flow of clean water.
He recalled that before the government came to their rescue, sanitation related diseases were very common in the highly populated estate.
“Cases of children suffering from diarrhea, vomiting, and cholera have gone down since the water project was implemented,” said Kiriu, lauding the government for the major water project.
He observed that the hustle and time lost as women trekked for long distances to look for clean water was a thing of the past and the time is now utilized in concentrating on other important issues like handling domestic chores, farming and other economic activities.
“Now that the women are not wasting time looking for water, some have formed groups where they contribute money to buy land while others have begun small businesses like beadwork and chicken rearing,” he said.
On the presence of the sewerage system, Kiriu said, the system has saved him the money he used to empty his septic tank that was being done on a monthly basis.
Another resident Ms Monicah Silantoi, 42, who lives at Total area in Narok town, said the clean water system has been a relief to her family as they can easily access clean water.
Ms Silantoi actually revealed that her family has found the water so clean and free of germs that they drink without boiling and that they have had no health complications from it.
“The water is very clean and reliable. My children have been drinking the water without boiling and have never had any health issues,” said Ms Silantoi, although the department of Public Health has advised the residents to always boil water before drinking.
“Because of the presence of water, the population in Narok town has increased as every investor wants to invest in a place with a constant water supply,” she added saying many people who have since flocked the town are from far counties but are comfortable investing in rental houses business.
She said the sewer system was a game changer to the home owners and landlords in the town who initially would use the exhauster tankers to empty their septic tanks.
“Using the exhauster lorry is very expensive. Per trip we used to pay Sh3, 500. But currently, we do not have to worry as the system is in place,” she said.
Elvis Kipai, 42, is a landlord at Total estate in Narok Town who confessed that the clean water system was a big relief to the town dwellers who initially used to buy water from the water boozers.
Kipai revealed that even in seasons of prolonged dry spell, the supply of water is consistent which has reduced the cost of buying water from water boozers.
“My rental business has thrived because I save the money I used to buy water with. The presence of clean water has also made more investors to invest in the town,” he reiterated.
The sewerage system, he said, was a timely project to boost the sanitation of the town as the population was growing owing to the increasing businesses and institutions in the town.
“This is the first ever sewerage system in Narok town and has helped in promoting sanitation as the large pipes of the system convey the sewage from the point of production to the point of treatment or discharge,” he said.
The sewerage system was installed following the successful completion of the mega water project that produces 5, 000 M3 of water per day.
Lack of a proper sewerage system in the town was a thorn in the flesh for traders and town dwellers as many were forced to use septic tanks while some hotel owners poured their sewerage in the open exposing the residents to water borne diseases.
By Ann Salaton
