Construction of a sewerage system supposed to serve Kenol and Kabati towns in Murang’a South has kicked off.
This comes after a land tussle pitting the government and Delmonte Company was solved giving a leeway for full implementation of the project aimed to improve sanitation in the two urban centres.
The government through Athi Water Works Development Agency (AWDA) is earmarked to construct a sewer line which will serve the two fast growing towns along Nairobi – Nyeri highway.
On Wednesday, the County Development Implementation and Coordination Committee (CDICC) led by the County Commissioner Karuku Ngumo visited the project to establish the progress of the project which is funded at tune of Sh. 689 million.
The CC led committee urged the contractor to mobilize more people back to work so as to fast track the project since land dispute had already been resolved.
AWDA Sewerage and Sanitation Manager Engineer James Muturi told the committee the project was delayed due to land tussle on where the sewer treatment plant will be constructed.
He affirmed that the contractor has already been handed the 50-acre piece of land and preparation of the ground has started promising to put up visible structures in a period of four weeks.
“The land will be used to construct a sewage treatment plant with a capacity to treat more than 3, 000 cubic metres on a daily basis,” added the Manager.
The project is funded by the African Development Bank and the government of Kenya is slated to be completed in April 2023. “The project started back in 2020 but was delayed due to land issues but completion date has been revised to April next year,” Muturi further said.
Other components of the project include installing of 17 kilometre trunk sewer pipelines and 15.5 kilometre pipes of reticulation sewers. The sewer line will be connected to more than 1, 000 households from the towns which currently rely on septic tanks.
Kenol and Kabati towns despite increasing population lack a sewerage system thus exposing the residents to water borne diseases.
The sewer line is expected to improve sanitation of the two urban centres and attract investors considering construction of a dual carriage highway from Kenol to Marua in Nyeri County.
The AWDA is at the same time implementing a water project which will see Kenol and its environs get clean water for domestic use.
The project which draws water from Aberdare forests is at 75 per cent and is earmarked to benefit more than 25, 000 households by improving the existing connections as well as creating new connections.
Other areas to be served by the water project include Mwarano, Mairi, Mathaithi, Machagacha, Kiairathe and Kariguini.
By Bernard Munyao and Florence Kinyua
