An acute water shortage has hit Kericho town and its environs in the last two weeks due to the drying up of streams that feed the Timbilil water treatment plant.
Speaking to the Star on Tuesday, Kericho Water and Sanitation Company managing director David Siele said the situation was beyond control after main streams from the upper Mau forest went dry due to prolonged drought.
He said the main water pipeline from Timblil in Mau Forest was just getting a quarter of water flow which was not sufficient to feed the entire Kericho town and its environs.
Siele said Kewasco could not effectively carry out meaningful water rationing from a quarter amount of water from the treatment plant.
He appealed to town residents to bear with the situation as they wait for rains in late March and early April this year.
“The little water we are getting is being diverted to local hospitals and government institutions in the town,” Siele said.
Nyagacho, Mjini, Majengo and several town environments that rely on the Timblil water treatment plant had gone without water for the last two weeks.
Residents were being forced to use contaminated water from the nearby river that separates Kericho town and its environs.
Ironically Kericho town and the environs had been getting abundant rainfalls since last year as opposed to bordering Mau West Forest that feeds streams that flow to Timbilil water treatment plant.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris