Kariri residents in Kiambu County have been warned against polluting River Chania to enable people staying downstream to access clean water for their domestic use.
Speaking in his Thika office on Friday, Thika Water and Sewerage Company pollution control officer, James Mugo, said uncontrolled diversion of water for irrigation, clothing and washing ended up polluting the resource.
“Existence of sun in this area for a period of two months now has enabled pollution of water where farmers are engaging in the illegal practise of irrigating their crops and washing their clothes at River Chania,” he said.
He added: “We have so far arrested and charged four suspects who were found engaging in the illegal diversion of water at Kariri near the main dam. Residents of this area should know that we will not relent in ensuring the lower communities health is not compromised by illegal diversion of the river's water for other uses,” said Mugo.
“Law breaking farmers were found to have completely distorted the river's flow which supplies water to Thika and Nairobi after the water is treated in Kariri dam. This water is used by town residents for dinking, washing and cooking and thus health is a priority to us,” he said
He called for harsher penalties to be implemented as a way of reducing cases of river diversion.