The Sh140 million Makurian-Osirua water project set to benefit about 8,000 families in Mukogodo East ward, Laikipia North, is to be completed by November.
According to Water and Natural resources chief officer at the Laikipia county government June Kawira, the 44km project is 60 per cent complete.
This will be the first ever project in the arid and semi-arid region that will serve residents of Makuria, Olkinyei and Chumvi areas with clean water for domestic consumption and farming.
Kawira said they have so far done 37.4km of pipeline out of the 42km connectivity from the intake at Timau river. The project is to end at Kiwanja Ndege.
"We have constructed two tanks of 225 cubic meters each. Construction of three tanks varying between 135 cubic meters and 150 cubic meters is also underway," the chief officer noted.
Ratino Shuel, the chairman of Makurian community group ranch, on Thursday said they have for many years been sharing the little water found on shallow wells, popularly known as Raaga, with wild and domestic animals.
"We can only term this as a miracle because we could not expect water to flow from the slopes of Mt Kenya to this place. The community would like to thank the county government for remembering us in this big way,” Shuel said.
Another resident, Jane Akuiru, noted that some of them have been trekking for several kms in search of the rare and precious commodity from seasonal rivers and dams, forcing their children to drop out of school.
"Children will no longer starve and will be able to attend school instead of searching for water. We have been competing for the natural resource with wild animals like elephants which was very risky,” Akuiru said, adding that they will now be able to grow crops.
Governor Ndiritu Muriithi said his administration is keen on improving production at the grassroots through provision of clean water.
"We have injected over Sh140 million into this project. This is a project that had been promised during presidents Mwai Kibaki and Daniel Moi's regime and I am happy as the governor to fulfil this promise," Muriithi said.
(Edited by Bilha Makokha)
