Murang’a Water and Sanitation Company (Muwasco) is planning to enter into partnership with a local university to help in research and implementation of a project on gas production.
The firm has already started negotiations with Murang’a University of Technology to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to help Muwasco tap and produce clean cooking gas from its sewerage line.
During their first meeting with a team from the university Friday, Muwasco Managing Director Engineer Daniel Ng’ang’a said the university will assist in providing laboratory services, which will not only help the company produce gas but also improve water quality supplied to customers.
The university partnership will also help in doing research and implementation of proposals to ensure the gas is cheaply produced and sold to locals at cheaper rates.
“Muwasco had earlier done a feasibility study on how to tap and produce cooking and lighting gas from its sewerage line and now it will hand over the idea to the university to improve in areas of research and implementation of the proposal,” said the engineer.
“The university has a well-equipped department of pure sciences, with professionals and laboratories which will be of great help in implementing our project,” he said during the meeting held at the firm’s boardroom.
Ng’anga said once the research is completed within the next few months, they will embark on looking for funding to implement the project.
The Director noted that the produced gas will be much cheaper compared to liquefied petroleum gas adding that it will benefit locals and also go a long way in conservation of environment.
He further observed that through the anticipated MoU, the university will assist the firm to automate its services and also in producing high quality water.
“Murang’a University has well equipped laboratories which will help us produce the best quality water in the country. This will help our customers get clean water thus boosting the fight against water borne diseases,” he stated.
Ng’ang’a continued, “We also want to collaborate in the area of non-revenue water management. As a country, we are losing more than 50 percent through non-revenue water losses and in Murang’a in particular we are losing 25 percent.”
He said Muwasco will bring in all partners together and be efficient; and ensure production of water is brought down so that the affordability of water to our customers is achieved.
On his part, the university’s Dean of School for Pure and Applied Sciences Prof. Sylvia Opiyo, confirmed that in a few days to come, the institution will sign an MoU with the water firm.
She added that the university has well equipped laboratories to assist Muwasco in research and production of gas as well as high quality water to its customers.
“We want to assure Muwasco that the university has the capacity and enough resources to collaborate in research,” she stated.
Opiyo added that apart from research, the university will also partner with the water firm in conservation and management of water catchment areas.
“The university will assist in management of wetland areas and climate change through planting of trees at catchment areas so that in future there will be sources of water for increasing population,” averred the dean.
By Bernard Munyao
