Over 60,000 residents of Uasin Gishu County are set to benefit from two water projects worth over Sh500 million initiated by the Ministry of Water and Irrigation.
The two projects expected to be completed in two years time will be implemented in two phases and will cover majorly Soy and Turbo constituencies that have been lacking sustainable water supply sources.
Prof Fred Segor, Principal Secretary (PS) State Department of Water Services, while visiting the projects sites in Soy Naivalus and Leseru dams, said water shortage is a vital concern since it directly impacts economic development and needs to be addressed consistently.
“Most parts of the country have not achieved optimum water access and Uasin Gishu is not an exception, we have done several feasibility studies in a bid to boost water supply and these two dams have been found suitable to address this challenge,” said Segor.
While assessing the Soy Naivalus Dam that will be rehabilitated under the Soy/Kosachei situated on a 38-acre- piece of land and expected to benefit a minimum of 20,000 households, Segor said design works by Lake Victoria North Water Services Board (LNWSB) are on advanced stages and actual renovation will commence soon.
“The engineers are finalizing design works and only want to engage locals and their leaders on how the project will benefit them so as to decide on an agreed place to establish a treatment plant where most of the water will be channeled through gravitation,” Segor said.
He said water will be distributed areas around Soy and parts of Kosachei, Tapsagoi and Ng’enyilel in Turbo Constituency to enable more households and public institutions like schools and health centres get clean and safe water for domestic use.
“Current estimates show that Sh200 million will be used in the desiltation, cleaning and expansion of the dam to increase its water capacity to at least one million cubic metres of water from the current 500, 000 cubic metres and expand the entire 54 acres allocated for it,” said Segor.
Segor who was accompanied by LNWSB Chairman Joseph Lagat and turbo Constituency MP Elisha Busienei urged the residents to consider sharing their water resources for the purposes of development and sustaining fast growing urban centres.
The PS said the Leseru Community Integrated Water project implemented through the partnership of the Kenyan and Italian government is expected to cost Sh380 million and will be complete in 12 months at most.