Tourism stakeholders have threatened to close shop if the frequent water shortages in Malindi and Watamu are not resolved.
They said electricity is regularly disconnected at the Baricho water supply plant, Malindi, due to conflicts between the Coast Water Service Board and water companies.
They spoke on Monday during a meeting of investors and general managers of tourism resorts, which have gone for 10 days without water.
“We cannot afford to the increased budget. Our situation is very complicated, our clients cannot listen to excuses if they don’t get water. We may be forced to close business if things won’t change,” Daniele Tirito, general manager of the Jacaranda Beach Resort, Watamu, said.
Melinda Rees, Hemingways Watamu operations manager, said every two months water from Baricho is cut off by Kenya Power. “The government needs to sort the problem between the parastatals.
People are paying for services,” she said. Ravi Rohra, Watamu Bay Resort general manager, said, “In case of fire, there will be a disaster as most of the hotels have makuti-thatched roofs.”
