- Borehole that will serve 12,600 residents.
- The community provided land for the construction of the water intake and storage tanks.
Image: FILE
It's a sigh of relief for hundreds of residents in the arid areas of Isiolo who had to contend with walking for kilometres in search of water after a borehole was commissioned.
The Sh96 million Merti- Koropesa borehole produces 49 cubic metres that is equivalent to 320,000 litres and can supply water to 12,600 residents in Matarba, Merti, Saleti Koropesa and Marcagara.
The community provided land for construction of the water intake and storage tanks.
National Drought and Management Authority chairman Raphael Nzomo said they partnered with Northern Water Works Development Agency and the county government to make the project a success.
The Northern Water Works Agency gave Sh36 million, National Disaster Management Authority provided Sh30 million while the rest was provided by the county government.
Nzomo said apart from Merti Koropesa, NDMA has also supported resilience building interventions in Isiolo. These include Sh15 million Mokori water pipeline in Oldonyiro and lining of 2.85km feeder canals at Rapsu irrigation scheme in Kinna ward among others.
The Chief Administrative Secretary in the ministry Public Service Gender, Senior Citizens Affairs and Special Programmes Abdul Bahari commissioned the project.
"The residents were suffering and they had to trek for kilometres to go and look for water in boreholes dug by hands. It was very tough especially for pregnant women," Bahari said.
He said school going children were also suffering.
Bahari said the project had been proposed earlier but it failed to be implemented because some people raised issues saying the project would lead to conflicts.
"There was also an excuse that the project could not be implemented because of Mathenge weeds and I asked if a water project can be done in Aberdare forest, why not here," Bahari said.
He said the community used to bring water trucks spending millions per year.
Bahari said the community was very happy with the project which he said could last for 30 years.
National Disaster Management also bought two motorbikes to help manage the project.
-Edited by SKanyara