University finally gets own water

Chuka University finally has a steady supply of clean water.

The water, piped from Ruguti River, 22km inside Mt Kenya Forest, will serve over 15,000 students and the neighbouring Ndagani community.

According to Vice Chancellor Erastus Njoka, the institution has spent Sh42 million on the project.

"Last year we tried to draw water from Nithi River but some people blocked the system and even destroyed our pipes due to some political interests. We changed our mind and drew it from Ruguti River therefore the institution will no longer face water shortages as it has had before," he added.

Prof Njoka said that they have been paying over Sh800,000 to Nithi Water and Sanitation Company and the KK Mwendwa Water Project in monthly water bills but now hope to reduce this bill to about Sh100,000.

"We are also planning to supply the water to our newly established Tharaka campus to ensure there is adequate clean water supply to our institutions," he said.

He added that the university will also supply water to the neighbouring community at a small cost.

The university, he said, is also planning to bottle the water, which comes from the largest water table in the region, and brand it for commercial use.

He said the institution can help the county government to supply water to Tharaka Constituency, which is relatively dry and has no clean water for domestic use.

"The county government has a lot of money and because a university is a major transformation tool in the society, we can assist the government to supply water to Tharaka so that the area can be ever green like others. It is simple if only they come and partner with us," he added.

County Education Board Chair Jafford Njeru challenged other learning institutions to borrow the idea to ensure there is sanitation in schools.