Uasin Gishu county government has this financial year set aside Sh599 million for water projects in an effort to increase access to clean piped water to residents by 80 per cent by the year 2022.
According to the Department of Water, Environment, Natural Resources, Tourism and Wildlife Management 90 boreholes have so far been drilled and equipped with elevated water tanks and solar-powered pumping system to supply water to homesteads affordably.
The Water County Executive Committee Member (CECM) Mary Njogu said drilling of the boreholes have improved accessibility of water to communities and public utilities such as hospitals, dispensaries, and schools across the county adding that using solar lowered maintenance cost and sustainability for the projects.
“To ensure water gets closer to the residents across the county, at least one borehole has been drilled in every ward,” said the CECM.
She observed that before devolution came into existence most residents of the county used to trek for more than three kilometres in search of water, this has however, changed with the distances to water points reducing to less than a kilometer.
The County Water Engineer Henry Langat said the drilled boreholes yields up to 5000 litres hourly serving over a thousand people every day.
Engineer Langat assured residents that the water from the boreholes was safe for consumption since they always ensure it is taken for analysis after drilling.
By Kiptanui Cherono
