<em>Nairobi:</em> No plans for more boreholes in Embakasi, says CAS

There are no plans to drill more boreholes in Embakasi, the Parliamentary Committee on Environment and Natural Resources was told on Tuesday.

Water and Sanitation Chief Administrative Secretary Winnie Guchu said boreholes in Embakasi yield a lot of water which, however, has high fluoride levels. This limits its domestic usage.

Guchu was responding to a question by Embakasi East MP Babu Owino.

“Another limitation to increasing the number of boreholes in the area is the possibility of permanent damage to groundwater aquifers if too many boreholes are drilled in close proximity of each other.”

Guchu, who was accompanied by Water Secretary Samuel Alima, said the ministry has drilled nine boreholes in Embakasi East constituency since 2010.

The boreholes yield between 21 and 47 cubic metres per hour.

“The boreholes are spread out in various primary schools, dispensaries and community centres,” the CAS said, adding that Embakasi East will get eight water tanks before the end of this financial year.

The CAS said 526,000 cubic metres is consumed daily in Nairobi against a demand of 770,000 cubic metres.

This means there is a deficit of 244,000 cubic metres a day, hence rationing.

Some 4,000 cubic metres a day comes from Kikuyu Springs, 22,800 cubic metres from Ruiru I treatment plant, 60,000 cubic metres from Sasamua treatment plant and 440,000 cubic metres from Ngethu treatment plant.

The Embakasi MP wanted to know if the ministry was aware that there is a biting water shortage in his constituency and the measures the ministry is putting to mitigate this.

Guchu said her ministry was cognizant of the shortage not only in the constituency but Nairobi County as a whole.

“The government is currently implementing the Nairobi City water distribution network modifications project at a cost of Sh3.9 billion. The project is being implemented by Athi Water Service Board, a state corporation under my ministry.” 

The CAS said the funding is jointly from Africa Development Bank, European Union and the national government.

“The project is tied to other investment efforts, particularly the Northern Collector Tunnel Project phase one which shall increase the available amount of water for Nairobi by 140,000 cubic metres a day,” she said.

Guchu said once Nairobi city water distribution network modifications project is completed at the end of the year, it is expected to increase access to water for 45,000 households, serving an estimated 336,000 people in peri-urban areas.

She said the project consists of three lots.

The first lot involves the construction of Kiambu-Embakasi water transmission pipeline while lot two involves the construction of Kabete-Karen transmission line.

“Lot three involves the extension of water and sewer network infrastructure to Eastern and Western Nairobi peri-urban areas,” Guchu said.

She said Kiambu-Embakasi water transmission pipeline will serve Dandora, Kayole, Umoja, Korokocho, Utawala and Embakasi.

She said works on the lots commenced December 2, 2016 and is expected to be completed October this year.

“The project will serve a population of 164,000 people,” she said.

The CAS said the cost of lot one is Sh 2,011,589,563.52 with the overall progress of the project being 76 per cent.

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