Vihiga residents to get piped water in two years, says governor

Vihiga Governor Wilber Ottichilo. [File, Standard]

Vihiga Governor Wilber Ottichilo has assured residents that they will get piped water at their doorsteps in the next two years.

The governor hopes to achieve this through the Vihiga Cluster water project, which will cost Sh1.7 billion.

The project is targeting to provide piped water to at least 250, 000 people.

The Vihiga Water Cluster project is a partnership between the county government and the Lake Victoria North Waters Works Agency, which will be implementing it.

The project is divided into three mini clusters - Maseno, Lunyerere/ Mbale and Kaimosi water projects.

"The Maseno Water Project previously covered 30,000 households, but under the Vihiga Cluster Water project, over 80,000 households will benefit from it. It will supply 7.5 million litres of water per day," said Ottichilo, adding that the piping network has also been adjusted from 26 to 51 kilometres.

Previously covered

Mbale Water project will benefit at least 90,000 households from the current 50,000 households within Sabatia and Vihiga sub-counties.

The Kaimosi Water Project will supply water to over 70,000 residents from the Hamisi sub-county.

Green energy technology has been embraced in Vihiga for a constant power supply to ensure a consistent water supply. A total of 1,336 solar panels have been installed in Mbale, Kaimosi and Maseno water projects, thus cutting down electrical costs.

The Mbale water project has 740 panels producing a cumulative total of 196 kilowatts. Kaimosi and Maseno projects have 245 and 520 panels producing 70 and 137 kilowatts respectively.

To ensure Vihiga joins the rest of the world in managing the effects of Climate Change, various mitigation strategies have been instituted amongst them, the development of water projects under the climate change fund.

Water for irrigation

The projects include the Kimogoi water project (Hamisi sub-county), the Ipali water project (Luanda sub-county), the Mwibona borehole (Luanda sub-county), and the Buhani Community water for irrigation (Vihiga sub-county).

Apart from Buhani, all the above water projects are operated on solar energy to reduce the use of electricity which is more expensive.

Through ward-based programmes, 46 water springs have been protected, and piping networks extended across the 25 wards in Vihiga County.

The county government, through the Private and Public Partnership, will see some of its water projects undertaken by the partners.

The Water Project will implement Water and Sanitation programmes in Vihiga in the next five years, with a focus on drilling at least 31 boreholes per year in schools, institutions, health facilities and communities and protecting 36 natural water springs.

[email protected]