More than 60,000 residents of Murang’a county are to get piped water from a Sh250 million project by the national government.
The Gatango Water Supply Project being constructed in Mathioya subcounty is to supply residents of Kiharu, Maragua and Mathioya with water for domestic use.
Gaturi area in Kiharu subcounty is semi-arid will have piped water for the first time.
The government is building a water project in every subcounty, totalling about Sh6.2 billion.
Members of the Murang’a County Development Implementation Committee were told on Wednesday that installation of water pipes from the Kairo intake along the Mathioya River has been completed and tested.
Another 8.6km pipes have been installed and tested from the intake to Kairo storage tank.
The committee was inspecting the project.
A sedimentation tank at the edge of Aberdare forest is to be completed by the end of November.
About 2,000 litres processed by the tank will be supplied to Gaturi residents; the rest will be divided among other areas.
Committee chairman Okaka Etyang said the project by the Athi Water Services Board will greatly improve the county's water connectivity, which is about 40 per cent.
Project engineer Dickson Ongesa said that in the second phase of the project, the government will connect the treated water to homesteads.
“A contractor has already been found for the second phase, which is awaiting funding,” he said.
Last month, Water PS Joseph Wairagu announced that the national government is implementing Sh6.2 billion water projects in Murang'a.
He said the ministry is establishing a Sh2.4 billion multi-purpose project in lower Gatanga to provide both domestic and irrigation water.
He said the Sh50 million Makomboki water project is set to start. It will have a 15km pipeline to distribute water to Kanderendu, Gatia-ini and Makomboki areas.
The Sh125 million Kinyona Mariira project will supply water to Kigumo, Muthithi, Kihumbu and Mariira areas. Procurement is underway.
Wairagu said a contractor is being sought for the Sh90 million Kinyona intake improvement works in Kigumo subcounty.
(Edited by V. Graham)
