Residents of Nandi hills town and its environs are set to benefit from an ongoing Sh.374.5 million water and sanitation project.
The project under China Railway No. 10 Engineering Group Ltd (Contractor) entails establishment of 1,000, 500 and 200 cubic metre water tanks respectively at Kosoiywo, Nandi Bears and Ket Barak water points.
It also involves the rehabilitation and upgrading of existing water distribution system within the town, water kiosks and three ablution blocks, development of a new water source on Mokong River which will include river water diversion/abstraction structures, a water treatment plant and its systems such as pumping station, transmission among others.
The project which is jointly funded by the African Development Bank (ADB) and the national government, is under the town sustainable water sanitation program covering 18 other towns in the country.
Speaking during his tour of the water tank sites in Nandi hills, Water Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) Dr. Andrew Tuimur said the project is among the major water projects in the county and is set to benefit over 28,000 households once complete.
“The project will be a major boost to Nandi hills town which has had perennial water shortage since the existing water supply system was developed in 1940’s,” Tuimur stated.
Dr. Tuimur said apart from the Nandi hills water project, other projects within the county include the Water Trust Fund (WTF) and J6P project, Meteitei and Chemase Irrigation projects and the Keben Dam.
“Water Trust Fund has 19 water projects within Nandi County at a cost of Sh185 million to serve the marginalized community members by giving conditional and unconditional grants,” explained Dr. Tuimur.
The J6P project he said is sponsored by Finland and Sweden and it covers six counties. In Nandi it has 13 water projects that will ensure there is affordable water and sanitation within the county.
The CAS said the Meteitei and Chemase Irrigation Projects are complete, serving 250 and 1000 farmers respectively.
Christopher Riugu, the Resident Engineer, informed the team accompanying the CAS that the project, which commenced in January this year is currently at 18 per cent completion against a time lapse of 47 per cent and is expected to be complete by July 2022.
“We had a challenge due to the delay in right-of-way approval by the Kenya Forest Service, but an invoice has already been issued and the works will start right away,” said Riugu.
Riugu said that the project will require laying a 24.5 km distribution line ranging from 63 to 280mm OD HDPE pipes and already a 10 km distribution line has been done.
The water project will channel 2,530 cubic metres of water per day which will comfortably serve and surpass the current demand of 1,700 cubic metres of water per day.
Solomon Mangira, the Chief Officer Lands and Environment lauded the program citing that it will capture the increasing population in the town and alleviate the water problem.
“Nandi County is full of rivers, too much water but nothing to drink’, he remarked. The CO urged the residents to use the water resource prudently once it is in place.
By Bethsheba Abuya
