Rationing as acute water shortage hits Naivasha GK Prison

Fears of a disease outbreak have hit Naivasha GK Prison after the water supply was disconnected over a pending debt of Sh6 million.

The largest penal institution in the country has been forced to introduce water rationing in the facility that has close to 3,000 inmates as the crisis deepens.

The problem started last week when the management of Naivasha Water, Sewerage and Sanitation Company cut off water supply over the pending bill.

A source in the prison said they were courting disaster following the move to introduce rationing, noting that water was very critical in the prison.

According to the source, the inmates had started to feel the effects of the shortage with water been supplied by one tanker on a daily basis.

“The prison department has hired a tanker to supply water to the inmates and this is not adequate and may lead to a disease outbreak,” he said.

The officer noted that the inmates had been directed to limit their use of water as the prison headquarters sought ways of clearing the bill.

Company managing director Engineer Nahashon Wahome said the prison was one of the leading institutions that owed the company.

He said they had in the past engaged senior officers from prison headquarters over the pending bill before disconnecting the supply.

“The prison owes us over Sh6 million in water bills and we have been very patient and tried to engage the management which has failed to act,” he said.

Wahome added that the company was owed millions of shillings by residents with government departments leading. 

“We have launched a campaign in and around Naivasha to collect dues owed to us and in this way we shall definitely improve our services,” he said.

Despite the challenges, the MD said water supply to various estates in the town had improved after the company drilled more boreholes near River Malewa.

On water meant for the Industrial park, Wahome said six boreholes had been sunk and were ready to supply water to the multi-billion investment.

“We are done with the drilling of the boreholes and we have started the process of laying down the pipes that will supply the water to the industrial park in Maai Mahiu,” he said. 

(Edited by R.Wamochie)

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