• Rationing was imposed three months ago because of drought.
• Gilgil, Upper Malewa and Wanjohi rivers had been the worst-hit by drought.
Image: FILE
The Water Resources Authority has ended a rationing programme in rivers flowing into lakes Naivasha and Elementaita.
The rationing was imposed three months ago because of drought.
Naivasha subregional manager Geoffrey Mworia said Gilgil, Upper Malewa and Wanjohi rivers had been the worst-hit by the drought.
He said following the rains, water levels in the rivers had risen.
“We had been forced to introduce rationing because of the harsh weather conditions which had seen communities clash over use of water but this has been lifted,” he said.
Speaking in his office, Mworia said water levels in lakes Naivasha and Gilgil have improved.
“Water levels in the two lakes had dropped sharply following the harsh weather conditions but this has changed positively,” he said.
Mworia said they would carry out a survey on water status on 50 stations in the region.
He said there are 17 ground and 33 surface stations which will be monitored during the period.
“We have launched a one-month water survey in the region and this will inform us on the quality and quantity status of the water we have,” he said.
Mworia said most borehole owners in Naivasha had been given licences for private use but are now doing commercial water distribution.
“We have cases where the level of water fluoride from one of the boreholes is 10 times higher than the recommended standards from the World Health Organization,” he said.
Meanwhile, boat operators and fishermen around Lake Naivasha are calling for urgent measures to clear tens of dead nets in the water body.
According to honorary warden David Kilo, water levels in the lake had started to rise and this could affect the plans to clear the nets.
“The county had announced this plan which seems to have been forgotten and this is the right time to clear the nets before water levels rise,” he said.