Over 60, 000 residents of Kilgoris and Lolgorian towns in Trans Mara West and Trans Mara South Sub- counties are set to benefit from a mega water project initiated by the National Government at a cost of Sh589 million.
The Project’s Resident Engineer, Paul Nyaga, told Rift Valley Regional Commissioner (RC), George Natembeya that the project is 40 percent complete and will be completed by June 2022.
Once completed, the problem of water shortage in Kilgoris and Lolgorian towns that serve as Headquarters of Trans Mara West and South Sub-counties respectively will be a thing of the past.
Eng. Nyaga said the project commenced in January 2021 and was expected to run for 18 months until July 2022, but said they will work round the clock to complete the project by June 2022.
The mega project, under the Kenya Towns Sustainable Water Supply and Sanitation Programme, is funded by the African Development Bank (ADB) and the government of Kenya.
The work entails construction of a raw water pump station, treatment station, treated water pump station and water storage tanks among others.
Eng. Nyaga explained that the water will be pumped through the force of gravity to Kilgoris town, 20 kilometers from the site and Lolgorian town, which is 8 kilometers from the water supply site.
Subsequently, offices have already been constructed in both towns, two flocculation tanks which are at 80 percent complete, two sedimentation tanks that are 75 percent complete and three rapid sand filters at 75 percent complete.
Natembeya who led a delegation from the Presidential Delivery Unit, Regional and County Security Teams asked the contractor to add equipment and manpower, so as to complete the project as scheduled.
However, the Regional Commissioner lauded the contractor, China State Construction Engineering Corporation Limited, for the steady work progress, saying he was working within the timelines.
“It’s no longer business as usual as anybody given money by the government to work for the people must adhere to the signed contract, otherwise we will take legal action, regardless of the person’s nationality,” warned Natembeya.
By Ann Salaton
