Joy as muilt billion chemususu water supply project nears completion, signals end to water scarcity in the region

For many communities, water sources are usually far from their homes, and it usually falls on women and girls to spend much of their time and energy fetching water, a task which has expose them to spinal cord related injuries.

Taprandich Kibon, one of such women and a Lolbugo resident in Mogotio, Baringo County narrates how she used to trek for over 10kms to fetch water at Esageri River during dry spell. Married more than five decades ago, the 78-years old says she couldn’t count the many painful trips she made to the seasonal river.

‘’I couldn’t believe my hears and had to trek downhill for close to three kilometres to witness young men lay water pipes towards my village. I was extremely excited and almost injured my back during my short celebratory song,’’ said the grandmother.
A similar feeling is being experienced by thousands of Baringo and Nakuru County residents earmarked to receive an interrupted clean water supply from the Dam situated in the middle of indigenous expansive Lembus forest complex.
For decades, the beneficiaries have experienced perennial water shortage and with the water supply distribution project expected to be completed this December, water problems will soon be a thing of the past.

The water to be supplied to Koibatek, Mogotio and Rongai Sub-Counties will be sourced from the 45- metre high dam with a capacity of 12 million cubic metres of water. It was commissioned by President Uhuru Kenyatta and DP William Ruto in 2017.
The Sh3 billion water supply project is at 72 per cent complete with a total of 26 tanks of various capacities and 30 water kiosks expected to be completed and handed over in the next four months.

‘Accelerate the works and ensure that this project is complete by December 2020. The beneficiaries have waited for too long and any delay is not acceptable,’’ said Water Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki during a recent routine inspection tour of the project.
Initially, the project implemented by Central Rift Valley Water Works Development Agency was set to be completed by April 30, 2020 but slowed down by Covid-19 pandemic outbreak in the country.

Chinese Company Guangxi Hydroelectric Construction Bureau has already laid pipes from the 28, 000m3 new Water treatment works to Mogotio, Emining and Eldama Ravine-Emining junction.

According to CRVWWDA’s Chief Executive Officer, Eng. Hosea K. Wendot, water reservoirs of different capacities spread across the three sub-counties are at various construction stages.
‘While majority are of the reservoirs are complete and ready, others are at various stages. This is a big project and more than 600,000 people are expected to benefit,’’ said Wendot.

More than 20 of the overall reservoirs are in Baringo while that rest are situated in Nakuru County.
When completed, the project will serve residents of Eldama Ravine, Mogotio, Emining, Rongai, Kampi Ya Moto, Rafiki, Esageri, Muserechi, Kabimoi, Solian, Kiplombe, Soas, Visoi, Koitebes, Kiptoim, Gobat, Ol-Rongai among others.

The objective of this massive development is to ensure there is adequate water supply to the three sub-counties which have been suffering acute water shortage. Chemususu Dam was developed to supplement existing water systems constructed in phase 1A and phase 1B as part of greater Nakuru West Water Supply Project (GNWSP) which was implemented in 1986-1988. Chemususu Dam was developed in accordance with the recommendations of the draft final design of greater Nakuru Water Supply Project, Part 1 studies which were carried out during the year 1984-1986.
Chemususu Dam Water Distribution Project is one of the flagship projects identified by the Government of Kenya through the Central Rift Valley Water Works Development Agency that is being developed as an enabler for Vision 2030 in Baringo and Nakuru Counties. The project is fully funded by the Government of Kenya.The source of the water is Chemususu Dam developed in phase I by National Water Conservation and Pipeline Corporation.

BACK TO NEWS