Nakuru county drills boreholes to tackle water crisis

Nakuru County Deputy Governor David Kones commissions a new water drilling rig at Nyayo Gardens, Nakuru City, on March 27. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard] 

The stalled construction of the multi-billion Itare dam stalled, has forced the Nakuru County government to embark on drilling boreholes to address the rising demand for clean drinking water.

On Wednesday, Deputy Governor David Kones commissioned a Sh70 million water drilling equipment.

The machine has a capacity of drilling more than 10 boreholes per month to depths of 450 meters.

Kones said the new approach will help accelerate borehole drilling efforts, ensuring more residents have clean and safe drinking water.

Through the initiative, the county has managed to connect some 15,500 households to clean water, and equipped 60 boreholes in the past two years, he said.

To enhance the sustainability of the boreholes, the county has solarised 45 boreholes, constructed 23 water kiosks and supplied 43 tanks with a total capacity of 1,580,000 litres.

“The County has expanded its water network for more than 102 water projects covering a total of 407 kilometers, thereby increasing the population accessing clean and safe drinking water in Nakuru County to 62.3 percent,” Kones said.

Using the newly acquired drilling equipment, the county plans to drill an additional 70 boreholes over the next two years.

The deputy governor said the machine will reduce the cost of drilling a borehole by 30 per cent.

The County Executive Committee Member for Water Nelson Maara lauded  the purchase of the equipment.

He said they will engage residents and ward representatives and identify water needs in all the 55 wards.

Dr Maara revealed that the county is experiencing a deficit of about 75, 000 cubic metres of water a day and the Itare dam was to supply over 100, 000 cubic metres of water a day.

“Nakuru is classified as a water-scarce county, we depend on underground water. We are also in talks with the government to complete projects like Itare and Chemususu. Meanwhile we have to give the people of Nakuru water, that is why we have this machine,” he said.

County Secretary Samuel Mwaura, said with the drilling machine in place, the procurement process will be reduced.

Dr Mwaura assured that all water projects initiated by the previous regime will be completed.

The Kenya Kwanza government last year said plans to revive the construction of the Itare dam in Kuresoi North, Nakuru county, will cost the taxpayers an extra Sh5 billion.

Initially, the dam, whose construction was launched in 2016, was to cost Sh35 billion.

Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura noted that the dam's cost has since risen to Sh40 billion.

He said the Italian Government will fund the project while the Kenya Government will look into the issue of taxes and compensation.

The project comprises of a 57m high dam, a 100,000m3/day water treatment plant, 1.2m diameter 113km pipeline, 14.5km bulk transfer tunnel, water distribution improvement works, sewerage network, and treatment works, which were to be completed in April 2021.

It is expected to serve more than 800,000 people in Molo, Njoro, Rongai, Kuresoi, and Nakuru Town.

Mwaura assured that the government has put in place measures to ensure completion of the project.