Water crisis in Malindi and Magrini sub-counties in Kilifi county is expected to prolong for not less than six months following a long drought season.
The Director of Malindi Water Sewerage Company (MAWASCO) Gerald Mwabire, told the press that the drought is going to affect water levels, hence affecting water supply in the region.
Residents in the two sub-counties have been experiencing water shortage for about two weeks now.
“We have been suffering for two weeks now. Despite traveling long distances and joining long queues for the product, what we get is not consumable at all which is very risky to our health,” a resident said.
Mwambire said on Tuesday that MAWASCO will be unable to manage the incoming water crisis for what the company gets right now is 18,000 cm3 a day which is very little to be supplied to the two sub-counties. He said Malindi alone needs not less than 25,000 cm3 a day, adding that rationing is the only option.
He, however, revealed that the water company is experiencing a huge loss of more than Sh2 million to vandalism of the company’s water meters and chambers in Malindi by unknown people.
Mwambire said, “despite reporting these theft cases to the police, we are still loosing at least 10 meters a week especially at Maweni area in Malindi sub-county. They vandalise the meters mostly on Friday nights and leave water overflowing on the ground as they disappear with the meters.”
According to the director, stealing of the water equipment in Malindi has been promoted by scrap metal dealers who do not bother where the metals originate from.
“We are urging our friends who deal in scrap metals to be careful when buying the metals so that they don’t buy metallic water equipment used in transmitting water,” added Mwambire.
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