Murang’a Water and Sanitation Company has partnered with American NGO Can Do Kids to connect more than 26,000 households to clean water.
The firm has already started the construction of a 250,000-litre water tank that will serve Muchungucha, Ngaru and Kiangochi villages in Murang'a East.
The firm has acquired a parcel of land where the tank is being constructed by the NGO before water is connected to homes.
Residents of the three villages have often complained about the lack of water for both domestic use and for livestock.
Muwasco head of technical services Mwangi Kirenju said the area has been experiencing water shortages as the available tank does not have the capacity to sufficiently serve all the homes.
He said the firm will subsidise connection fees for locals to ensure as many as possible are able to access water supply.
“We are constructing the tank at the highest point in the three villages to enable easy distribution to homes,” Kirenju said.
Can Do Kids country coordinator Karanja Mburu Wamatangi said the Sh3 million tank will be completed in 100 days if construction works are not disrupted by rains.
“Once it is completed, we will hand it over to Muwasco for piping and last-mile connectivity,” Mburu said during the groundbreaking ceremony on Monday.
Earlier in the year, the two organisations put up a similar tank in Karechiungu area and announced a partnership to improve water supply.
Two other water tanks will be put up in Kabuta and Gikuo. Once completed, the tanks will supply water to about 40,000 residents.
The partnership will also see a world-class water laboratory established at the Muwasco’s Kiawambeu water treatment plant.
The lab will have modern equipment and chemicals to ensure water is treated to international standards.
It will build the capacity of Muwasco’s workers while providing an opportunity for other water companies to learn.
The partnership states that Muwasco will construct the lab while the NGO will provide the modern equipment.
Mburu said his organization was in talks with American universities such as Illinois State University for support in establishing the lab billed to be among the best in the continent.
Can Do Kids has so far constructed 60 mega tanks in public primary schools to boost hygiene.
“Our aim is to construct 20o tanks by the end of next year to solve the challenge of unavailability of clean water in schools and provide children with more learning hours,” Mburu said.
He said the tanks have enabled many schools to establish feeding programmes.
He appealed to locals to harvesting rainwater for use in their homes and farms, underscoring the need for farmers to establish ponds that can be used for irrigation.
Edited by P.O
