Water firm to establish Sh1.6 billion sewerage system Murang'a towns

A water firm is implementing a Sh1.6 billion sewerage system in Murang'a to benefit Kenol and Kabati towns.

Murang’a South Water and Sanitation Company (Muwasco) managing director Mary Nyaga said the towns have been chocking with waste because they do not have sewarage systems.  

Nyaga said the project is in the procurement stage and is expected to kick off soon.

She said it will go a long way into cleaning the two towns and improving residents’ health by eradicating waterborne diseases.

A proper sewerage system, she noted, will also reduce contamination of underground water which many of the residents rely.

Kenol town does not have tap water and many residents have sunk boreholes to get water for their domestic use.

“I believe the sewerage project will save many people and the government a lot of money that is being used in health services to treat water borne diseases,” she said.

Without a sewerage system, waste tends to flow all over and poses a health risk to residents. A similar project that will cover Maragua town is also in the pipeline.".

Nyaga said this is one of the measures the company is taking to improve water and sewerage services in its area of jurisdiction.

She said that the Water Services Regulatory Board (Wasreb)earlier in the year licensed the company to offer water services in Kigumo, Maragua and Kandara subcounties.

Initially, Muwasco which serves Murang’a town and its environs extended its services to parts of Maragua before it was stopped by Wasreb.

Nyaga said the company has plans to ensure 80 per cent of the population in the area is connected to tap water.

She said Muswasco is expanding Kinyona treatment plant in Kigumo to connect Kenol, Saba Saba, Maragua and Kabati towns with water.

Water Principal Secretary Joseph Wairagu last year announced that the government had written a proposal to the Arab Development Bank seeking funding to implement a Sh. 4 billion sewer project dubbed Murang’a Cluster Water and Sanitation project.

Wairagu said through the programme, sewer lines will be constructed in Kenol, Maragua, Kiria-ini, Kangema and Kangari towns.

Wairagu said Murang’a is too vital to the provision of water to Nairobi County and should also be considered in terms of water coverage.

Murang’a supplies 82 per cent of the water consumed in Nairobi yet only 37 per cent of the 1 million population has access to tap water.

(Edited by P. Wanambisi)

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