Grave pollution of the Nairobi River is a serious problem for the government as it will be one of the tributaries feeding the Thwake dam, now 70% complete.
Water CAS Andrew Tumuir has said the filthy Nairobi River will be one of the water sources of the dam.
He said it was urgent for a multiple-stakeholder approach to ensure the river is cleaned first.
The dam is being done in four phases, including building the dam with a storage capacity of 688 million cubic metres, hydropower and irrigation.
The fourth phase is the last-mile connectivity to all the households around Kitui, Makueni and Machakos areas as well as the Konza Techno city.
“To do that, there are many things we have to do. For instance, in Kibera, we have to provide clean water so that people don't go to the river," Tuimur said.
He went on, "We have to provide ablution blocks, of which we have already done 29 in Kibera. If you don't do that, even if you clean the river, there is a risk it will go back to the same place where it was."
The Thwake Multipurpose Dam is a project has been being designed to serve the greater Makueni district with Kalawa, Kathonzweni, Kibwezi and Makindu as the main target areas. Other areas to benefit are sections of Wote, Nguu and Mutito Adei areas.
The dam reservoir will include a 20MW hydropower facility and provide enhanced water supply and irrigation that will impact aboout 1.3 million people.
Last month, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua's wife Dorcas outlined her plan to rehabilitate the heavily polluted Nairobi River.
Decades ago, the river was sparkling clean, with fish, water beetles, dragonflies and other water creatures.
Today, the Nairobi River is dead, or nearly so. It cannot support life, except for scum and maggots.
On July 20, 2020, efforts to resuscitate the river gained momentum.
Among the agencies tasked with rehabilitating it include Nema, Nairobi Metropolitan Services, the Water Resource Authority and workers from the seven counties where the river drains.
“We are working with a youth group here in Kibera called Mazingira Yetu, more than 200 youth who have given themselves to clean Nairobi river and we are supporting them through one of our agencies,” the CAS said.
Taimur estimates that the current water coverage in the country stands at 67 per cent with the hope to attain 100 per cent coverage by 2030 while sanitation coverage is at 26 per cent.
(Edited by V. Graham
