It is a sigh of relief to over 20,000 residents of three wards in Siaya County who will now have an improved and consistent supply of clean and tapped water in their homes.
This follows the rehabilitation of Got Matar Water Scheme at a cost of Sh35 million.
The water scheme is one of the four schemes in Siaya County that got funds under the Siaya Water and Sanitation project.
Siaya water and sanitation project was initiated in the County through the partnerships of the County Government, Dorcas Aid, Maji Milele Ltd, and the North Gem Development Programme.
The main donor of this project is the Dutch Government, funding it through the office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Got Matar Water Scheme is located in East Yimbo ward, Bondo constituency.
It covers 3 sub-locations of Pala, Nyamonye, and Othach sub-locations.
The scheme collapsed owing to various challenges which resulted in malfunctioning according to the chief officer of the Department of Water Walter Okelo.
The challenges included a dilapidated rising mainline which was used as a return line.
"This led to high non-revenue caused by frequent bursts and high operational costs arising from the frequent repairs," Okelo said.
A Pump house at Oele Beach was also submerged due to the rising lake levels.
"We also experienced high production costs since the existing customer base was less than 5 connections. This led to Kenya's power disconnection," he said
The scheme also had governance issues according to the chief officer which led to poor operations.
As an intervention measure, Sh 35 million was injected into Got Matar Water Scheme rehabilitation.
The rehabilitation works, among others, covered the intake area where a new pump house was constructed.
"New caprari pump was procured and installed that is 18kw and can discharge 34M³/Hr of water per hour," Okelo said.
The works also included the extension of the suction line, reaching the pump house.
An in-line chlorine doser was also procured.
"We also fenced the intake area with concrete posts and chainlink and laid a new distribution network," he said.
The line consists of the rising mainline - which covers a distance of 4,824m, and a section of the return line up to Kwoyo junction which covers a distance of 1,100m.
"Section of Othach Dispensary line, covering a distance of 1,800m, Bur Yiro Line which is 2,500m long and Uhanga Line covering a distance of 1,800m were laid," the chief officer said.
"Kwoyo-Nyamonye line which is a distance of 2,400m was also erected in the rehabilitation works," he added.
Other works included the construction and repairs of Communal Water Points.
"Got Matar Reservoir Tank with a storage capacity of 100M³ was also repaired while the contractor also constructed new water points at Nyamonye, Bur Yiro and Got Matar," he said.
Okelo said a new water point with a vendor was also constructed in the Kwoyo area.
He disclosed that there are plans to solarize the intake by installing solar power alternatives.
This will be done with funds from the County Government of Siaya.
"We will also carry out an overhaul of the return line in the remaining section that is 5.6km long and also overhaul the line's remaining section which is 5.5 km at Othach," he added.
The water scheme is being operated by Maji Milele Ltd which is one of the implementing partners of the Got Matar Water Scheme project.
The operator has introduced prepaid meters which has led to an improvement in revenue collections according to the scheme's coordinator Allan Mutugi of Maji Milele Ltd.
"The Introduction of communal water points with ATMs water points has ensured community members have; easy access to water 24hrs a day," he said
Mutugi told the Star that Mobile payments, through the ATM water points ensure more revenue collection.
"This ATM technology at the water selling point is easy to be understood by community members, and the system stores water sales for management of the communal water point," he said.
He noted that the cashless system they introduced ensures all payments are done via mobile money or bank payments only.
He noted that unlike before, now there is better management of the scheme with more skilled staff and good governance practices introduced.
"We do the Capacity building of local staffs through job training and carry out proper mapping of revenues and expenditures; including record keeping of the same," he added.
Governor James Orengo's administration is set to invest an additional Sh9 million for further infrastructural support- including the extension of the distribution channel to the Othatch dispensary as initially designed besides an additional elevated reservoir tank at Got Matar.
On Friday, Orengo lauded the partnership of his administration with partners such as Dorcas Aid, North Gem and Maji Milele for joining the rehabilitation of the scheme.
"As a county government, we are happy that now we have in place, a system that will ensure a sustainable supply of clean and safe water to the residents of Nyamonye, Othach and Pala Sub locations of East Yimbo," he said.
"Our commitment is to deliver Nyalore manifesto (the governor's manifesto) by optimising the production of water from the existing water schemes and create efficient distribution channels before initiating new ones," Orengo said.
The governor further pointed out that with the completion of the rehabilitation of Abura Dam in Siaya, significant positive impacts will be realised inwards such as Township, Central Alego,West Alego and North Alego of Alego Usonga.
" This will also help to relieve the demand pressure of the supply from the Siaya-Bondo (Sidindi -Malanga) water project whose intake is at Yala River ," Orengo said
"The project will also enable us to stabilise the supply of the commodity to Bondo Town, Yala and other parts of Gem sub-county," the governor said.
Orengo further noted that the completion of ADB funded Ugunja-Sega -Ukwala water project is also nigh, and the County Government is committed to working with partners to implement the last-mile component of the project so that water is delivered to residents of Ugunja and Ugenya subcounties.
"For Rarieda, we are currently taking measures to enhance production at the Asembo-Ndori scheme, while also working with other sector players, including Majimilele in optimising Naya and West Uyoma water works," he said.
The governor assured the people of Siaya that his administration will enhance the coverage and access to safe water from the current 58% to the targeted 75% over the coming 4 years.
