Nandi County, Kenya – Residents of Nandi Hills town and its surrounding areas are set to benefit from a Sh374.5 million water and sanitation project, aimed at ending perennial water shortages in the region.
The project, managed by China Railway No. 10 Engineering Group Ltd, includes the construction of 1,000, 500, and 200 cubic metre water tanks at Kosoiywo, Nandi Bears, and Ket Barak water points. It also involves upgrading the existing water distribution network, establishing water kiosks and ablution blocks, and developing a new water source on the Mokong River, complete with diversion structures, a treatment plant, pumping stations, and transmission lines.
Water Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS), Dr. Andrew Tuimur, noted that the initiative, jointly funded by the African Development Bank (ADB) and the national government, will benefit over 28,000 households. This project will be a major boost to Nandi Hills, which has suffered perennial water shortages since the original system was established in the 1940s, he said.
The county’s other water initiatives include the Water Trust Fund, J6P projects, Meteitei and Chemase Irrigation projects, and the Keben Dam, which together aim to provide affordable and reliable water to marginalized communities and support irrigation for farmers.
Resident Engineer Christopher Riugu confirmed that the project, which started in January, is currently 18 per cent complete and is expected to be finished by July 2022. Once operational, the project will deliver 2,530 cubic metres of water per day, comfortably exceeding the current demand of 1,700 cubic metres.
Chief Officer for Lands and Environment, Solomon Mangira, urged residents to use the new water resources prudently, highlighting that the county is full of rivers, too much water but nothing to drink.