MORE than 300,000 residents of Embu County are expected to have clean piped water after the construction of four key dams.
The project was launched by the county and the national governments in a meeting attended by Governor Martin Nyaga Wambora and Water Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa among other leaders on Wednesday. The plan entails construction of four dams, which are Rupingazi, Kamumu, Nthambana and Thuci dams in the next five years.
“These mega projects will ensure all Embu residents have access to clean and safe water for drinking as well as strengthen irrigation projects that will boost food production in the county,” said Governor Wambora. The county government also commissioned one of the region’s biggest water distribution projects to date. The ongoing project will supply more than 50,000 people in the dry areas of Embu County with fresh piped water.
Most beneficiaries will be the lower, arid areas which, despite being close to Kenya’s biggest river, Tana, and the seven folks power projects, have lacked clean piped water since independence. These include Karurumo and Evurori areas. This brings clean water users in Embu County to 70 per cent, up from 31 per cent in 2013.
“The project has a water capacity of 11,000 cubic metres, up from the less than 2,000 cubic metres of water being utilised currently. With the additional 9,000 cubic metres which my government intends to supply, we shall achieve more than 6,000 new connections,” Governor Wambora said.
More county governments are rushing to increase water coverage, currently only covering 56 per cent of the population while the sewerage coverage is approximately 22 per cent. Water PS Fred Segor says Kenya needs Sh 1.5 trillion in the next 15 years or Sh100 billion every year for the next 15 years for water.