The Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) will partner with the government to construct a modern sewer line from Kiandutu to Kangoki in Thika town at a cost of Sh.20 billion within the next three years.
Thika MP Engineer Patrick Wainaina said a state of the art water intake will also be put up at Mathioya-Thiba river in Murang’a County to provide an extra 15 cubic meters a day to boost the Thika Water and Sewerage Company (Thiwasco)
production.
The MP made the revelation on Friday when he inspected the ongoing upgrading of flash flood drainage system at BAT along the busy Thika-Garrisa road where KURA-KERA and KENHA have joined hands to tackle the perennial flooding of Thika town and its environs.
Engineer Wainaina said that he has engaged the management of the three roads bodies and agreed that the engineers should hasten the upgrading so as to get a lasting solution to some of the challenges that are occasioned by the flash floods whenever there is heavy downpour.
He however faulted some unscrupulous tycoon who collude with some County officers to circumvent the laid down requirement in the construction industry whereby major houses have been constructed along the water ways and sewer lines making it impossible for any entity to streamline or even upgrade some services.
A heavy overnight downpour that pounded Thika town and its environs Friday night rendered the town inaccessible with residents of various upmarket estates being marooned within their compounds and homes.
A spot check by KNA revealed that residents of Kisii, Kiganjo, Makongeni and parts of Ngoingwa estates had parts of their homes submerged with a cross section of families being forced to abandon morning chores to drain flood waters from their houses that caught most of the residents unawares.
Members of the public faulted the County Government of Kiambu for not providing proper drainage system and a functional sewer line with those interviewed expressing fears that there might be an outbreak of cholera and other waterborne diseases as a result of drinking water contaminated with raw sewer.
County Engineers and workers from the Kiambu fire brigade had a rough time trying to unblock clogged drainages which had caused enormous floods around the town and adjacent estates with residents of Ofafa estate threatening to pull down Mount Kenya University fence which they claimed had blocked the flood waters drainage system.
A team led by the Thika Sub-County Administrator Dominique Kariuki and the Thika Sub-County Engineer Murugu Wanjohi spent the better part of the morning on the ground in an attempt to unclog the drainage.
According to the Engineer the blockage has been caused by
irresponsible littering by members of the public who throw rubbish indiscriminately causing most of the runoff drains to clog.
“There is an urgent need for an awareness campaign to educate the public on the hazards of haphazard littering in the urban centers especially with plastic bottles and papers, this products are not biodegradable and have a major impact on the drainage.” Lamented Engineer Murugu.
He said that most of the drainages are blocked using boulders and plastic materials that render the expensive drainage systems useless when they are needed most.
He further faulted jumbled up building projects that have sprouted in all the major estates within Thika town and its environs with developers failing to engage professional input during construction.
“Most buildings are built below road levels meaning that whenever there is a huge downpour, flash waters will find its way into such home, worse still builders in collaboration with unscrupulous planners have put up homes on water ways thus clogging the existing runoff drainage systems,” he concluded.
Area Sub-County Administrator Dominique Kariuki speaking from Kisii estate said that engineers will be on the ground to ensure that every blocked drainage is unclogged.
“We have engaged the management of Mount Kenya University on the way forward on the perennial blockage occasioned by the campus fence and they have agreed to maintain the drainage that passes through the University” he said.
He however cautioned members of the public against careless dumping of garbage which he pointed out was the main cause of frequent blockage of flush flood drainage.
By Lucy Wangai.
