Water supply system rehabilitation to improve supply for 260,000 Kenyans

CHARLES MATACHO- PCO

The Government has launched the rehabilitation of the Nolturesh Water Supply System, a major intervention aimed at improving water security and guaranteeing reliable water supply for more than 260,000 residents across the counties of Kajiado, Machakos, Makueni and Kitui.

The rehabilitation programme seeks to restore the efficiency of one of Kenya’s strategic water supply systems, which has for years been affected by ageing infrastructure, vandalism, illegal water connections and high non-revenue water, resulting in nearly 80 per cent of treated water being lost before reaching consumers.

The intervention aligns with the Government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) by strengthening water infrastructure to support agriculture, livestock production, industrial growth, trade and improved livelihoods.

The programme was officially launched during a public participation forum held in Mbirikani, Kajiado County, led by the Principal Secretary for Water and Sanitation, Julius Korir.

The forum brought together Tanathi Water Works Development Agency Chief Executive Officer Sammy Naporos, the Tanathi Water Works Development Agency Board of Management led by Chairperson Hon. Regina Ndambuki, Geoffrey Tanui Deputy County Commissioner Loitokitok, representatives from the County Governments of Kajiado, Machakos, Makueni and Kitui, officials from the Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation, water sector agencies, community leaders and residents.

Conducted in accordance with Article 10 of the Kenya’s Constitution, the public participation exercise provided stakeholders with an opportunity to present their views and recommendations, reaffirming the Government’s commitment to transparency, accountability and inclusive decision-making in the implementation of national development projects.

Speaking during the forum, PS Korir announced immediate measures to fast-track implementation of the rehabilitation programme.

“We will immediately deploy a team of engineers from the Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation to undertake a comprehensive technical assessment of the entire Nolturesh pipeline and recommend priority interventions.

We will also immediately deploy police from Water Police Unit to protect this critical infrastructure, curb vandalism and illegal water connections, and safeguard water meant for wananchi,” said PS Korir.

The Principal Secretary further announced that the Government will facilitate the regularisation of consumers through legal and properly metered water connections as part of efforts to reduce non-revenue water, improve accountability and enhance service delivery.

PS Korir noted that the Nolturesh Water Supply System, commissioned in 1990 through a partnership between the Governments of Kenya and Italy, was designed to serve a much smaller population whose primary livelihood was pastoralism.

However, rapid population growth and the transition to agro-pastoralism have significantly increased water demand, making rehabilitation and expansion of the system imperative.

“The population has increased significantly since the project was established, and economic activities have changed from pastoralism to agro-pastoralism. We must therefore expand this water system to meet current and future demand,” he said