The county government of Kisumu has signed an agreement with the county government of Vihiga to supply bulk water to Maseno town.
Through the agreement, the county government of Vihiga will supply the commodity to Kisumu Water and Sanitation Company (KIWASCO) for distribution in the fast-growing town and the neighbouring areas.
Kisumu Deputy Governor Dr. Mathew Owili said the move targets to address water shortage in Maseno municipality whose population has grown tenfold.
The rapid population growth is attributed to the presence of Maseno University which has over 20,000 students, Maseno School and Maseno Boarding Primary School which also have thousands of learners.
“This has strained our supply leading to the shortage of water being experienced in this town,” he said.
Dr. Owili said besides the bulk supply, the two county governments were collaborating to protect and conserve water sources in the area to ensure stable supply.
Speaking at the Agriculture Training Center (ATC) in Maseno Town during World Water Day celebrations, Dr. Owili lauded the partnership saying it has contributed to the peace and stability being experienced in the area.
“Kisumu and Vihiga are forging a common destiny. Water has become a beacon of peace and prosperity,” he said.
Climate change, he said, was one of the leading contributors to water scarcity in the area calling for concerted efforts to restore the environment.
“We must think about the future even as we consume the water that we have so that our future generations can also benefit,” he said.
Kisumu County Executive Committee Member (CECM) in charge of Water, Environment and Natural Resources Marylene Agwa said the partnership with Vihiga will help boost water coverage in Maseno Municipality from 20% to 40%.
Other interventions, she added were being carried out by the Lake Victoria South Water Works Development Agency (LVSWWDA) which once completed will sort out the perennial water shortage in the area
The projects include rehabilitation of millennium spring, construction of 1000 cubic metre tank in Nyawitta, rehabilitation of Maseno old tanks, rehabilitation of one borehole in Maseno market and sinking of a new one and the construction of 150 cubic metre water tank at Maseno market.
KIWASCO Managing Director Thomas Odongo said water scarcity in the area was largely due to climate change, calling on the community to join ongoing conservation efforts and plant trees.
“When we opened a new plant in Kajulu we knew that Kisumu will have uninterrupted supply until 2030. This has however changed because the river is now seasonal,” he said.
Odongo called for harvesting and storage of rain water in Kisumu city to ensure round the clock supplies.
By Chris Mahandara
