The Mombasa Water Service Board has launched an exercise to cover up all the open manholes within the central business district and surrounding areas.
Mombasa Water Service Board Executive Manager Kombo Rajab Kombo said chances of people falling into the many uncovered manholes are high, adding that they pose a serious risk to motorists and pedestrians.
Mr Kombo said the water company has launched a Sh1.3 million exercise to cover up all the open manholes in the city center roads.
He said non-recyclable lids will be used to cover the manholes.
The use of non-recyclable lids is to curb the vandals and theft of the metallic and concrete covers which he said were being stolen and sold to scrap metal dealers.
“Theft of manhole covers is a huge challenge to the county as the thieves target covers made of cast-iron, which are being sought after by unscrupulous scrap metal dealers,” Mr Kombo said.
He added: “The company has embarked on a Sh1.3 million exercise to cover all the open manholes with non-recyclable value material covers made of razing turf covers”.
The water executive who was speaking to journalists at his office in Mombasa said they will buy 100 covers at Sh13,000 per piece which is cheaper compared to the metallic covers that were costing Sh50,000 per cover.