Health Officers Raise Alarm Over Contaminated River Water

Public health officials in Kenya are urgently warning communities about the dangers of river water pollution after confirming that several recent disease outbreaks stem from contaminated water sources. In Kisii County, Principal Secretary for Public Health Mary Muthoni stated that tests on a local well detected faecal matter, which has been linked to a mysterious illness spreading in the South Mugirango area. The outbreak ha
Officials are particularly concerned as the same waterborne threats coincide with a cholera outbreak in Migori, Kisumu, and Nairobi counties, where health authorities confirmed 97 cases and six deaths as of April 2025. The Ministry of Health has launched rapid response teams to carry out active case finding, line listing, and contact tracing.
In response, public health officers are urging Kenyans to avoid using untreated water sources for drinking, cooking, or cleaning. They recommend boiling or chlorinating water from rivers or wells, storing it in covered containers, and maintaining handwashing stations. The Health NGOs’ Network (HENNET) has also issued a public advisory echoing the ministry’s caution, while calling for intensified hygiene and sanitation measures.
Health leaders believe that mitigating the risk will require sustained environmental interventions. They are renewing calls for improved water treatment infrastructure, better sanitation in flood-prone zones, and stronger community-level WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) education — especially in counties where river pollution is worsening because of sewage and refuse dumping.