Borehole projects on course, says City Hall

Traders at Umoja One have heaved a sigh of relief after the county government completed a borehole to fix the water shortage that had scared customers into opting for other markets.

The market project started on November 7, 2019. It has been commissioned and is already serving more than 500 traders. 

Market director Milton Odanda on Tuesday said the borehole will have a positive impact as most of the traders own salon businesses.

"Our customers will now get adequate services without having to wait for water to be brought from outside.

Umoja One MCA Mark Mugambi said the borehole will cut expenses incurred by traders. They had resorted to vendors who sold water at high prices.

"Most of the times, traders buy water from vendors, which adds up to expenses they have to meet every day in the business. Being a county market, we found it wise and reasonable to do a borehole within the premises to curb the shortage of water," he said.

Mugambi has recommended that the Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company ensure those living in adjacent residential houses benefit. He wants the piping network improved so that can be achieved.

Nairobi Water Company's Eng Kimuyu, who oversaw the project, said the borehole is 350m deep. A machine has been fixed to pump 7,500 litres per hour. He said the county owns the project, hence it will be up to City Hall to decide how water distribution is done.

County director of Water and Sanitation Services Mario Kainga said they have yet to get the final project report from the engineer.

"Since we initiated this project, the ward rep has followed it up. The engineers have confirmed that the work is complete and the county is waiting for the final report," he said.

Umoja One is among several city estates that have been greatly hurt by the ongoing water rationing. To assuage the suffering of most residents, Governor Mike Sonko had pledged to construct at least one borehole in every ward. The city has 85 wards.

Kainga said they will partner with Nairobi Water to sink more boreholes across the county, especially in informal settlements. Other projects are underway in Kileleshwa and Eastleigh wards. Another one is to be launched on South C estate. All the projects were for 2018-19 but implemented in 2019-20. The county will also readvertise projects that have been delayed to ensure they are completed. 

In July last year, MCAs requested City Hall to carry out a survey and audit of more than 3,000 commercial boreholes in Nairobi and close down those sunk without approval. The county legislators said some boreholes have been drilled on road reserves, while some were producing contaminated water.

They wanted regulations put in place to control the rampant drilling of boreholes. Kainga said only 20 boreholes have been approved by the county government since 2018.

Nairobi Water Company boss Nahashon Muguna had said water from Eastland boreholes contained excess fluoride, which is harmful to humans. He said it would cost millions to treat the water through reverse osmosis.

“Flouride levels in Eastland boreholes are very high at over 15mm per litre, against a required level of 0.5mm per litre,” Muguna said.

Environment and Water executive Vesca Kangogo had said the county government could not fully control the mushrooming commercial boreholes as their "hands are tied". She said the county is only mandated to give the ‘no objection’ document after approvals from the Water Resources Management Authority and the National Environment Management Authority.

“Agencies like Warma and Nema are responsible for giving approvals. The county doesn’t have a clear role there,” Kangogo said.

She accused the agencies of not communicating their findings to the county. Under the Water Act, 2016, Warma is mandated to grant approvals. Some of the documents required by Warma and Nema for the approval of borehole drilling include title deeds and land (LR) numbers.