Machakos wrests Masinga water from Kitui

Governors Wavinya Ndeti and Julius Malombe, together with Water Principal Secretary, Dr Kiprono Rono spent the day to address pressing water issues in the region.

The PS begun his day in Machakos with Governor Ndeti and held discussions on a wide range of issues touching on provision of water services to the people of Machakos and also explored areas of partnership between the National Government and the county government regarding the Water agenda.

After holding talks, Gov Wavinya and Dr  Rono signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the utilization and management of Masinga Dam water. 

Under the new arrangement, Machakos County through the Yatta Water company will exclusively manage and distribute 40 percent of the resource to Machakos residents as opposed to the previous plan where Kitui Water and Sanitation Co. enjoyed the monopoly 

The team also toured Maruba dam.The PS has pledged National Government's support in desilting and rehabilitating to promote provision of portable water.

Governor  Malombe later joined Governor Ndeti and Dr Rono at the Masinga Dam intake site in Machakos county.

The meeting, also attended by locals and other stakeholders discussed the ongoing efforts to have the expansion and extension of the Masinga dam intake to increase water supply to both counties.

The PS said the Ministry has plans to install solar at the project to save the counties the cost of subsidizing electricity in the water supply process. 

The governor further highlighted the need to have leaders work with cohesion and prioritize the people in executing service delivery.

52 percent of Kitui's piped water goes to waste, says PS Rono

Ministry of Water statistics show that Kitui county loses 52 percent of water that could be put to better use.

PS Dr.Rono and Governor Malombe

National Water and Irrigation Principal Secretary Dr Kiprono Rono, speaking in Kitui today added that the water could be used for industrial, domestic or irrigation.

The PS spoke when he signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Kitui Governor Dr Julius Malombe Dr Ronoh on the Non Revenue Water (NRW) to improve water provision efficiency, services and performance in Kitui.

 Governor Malombe said the move by the ministry to reduce water loss will increase the commodity available for use in rural homes, institutions and irrigation among other uses noting it was a  milestone towards achieving water sufficiency in the county and beyond.

 Dr. Ronoh indicated that the ministry had identified critical water projects to be implemented within Kitui to reduce water shortage.

"We require 50,000m3 of water to address shortages in Kitui from the current 11000m3 available.  We'll in the meantime upgrade the Kitui Masinga supply to 18000m3". He said.

The PS added that the ministry will adopt the use of solar power to reduce the costs of management that is currently sh. 10 million monthly in Kitui.

He commmeded  efforts to solve the non revenue water loss as progressive noting that the projects will be integrated with the critical water protection infrastructure to stop vandalism in the projects.

On the 100 dams to be done as per the Ministry's Water Master Plan,  the  PS indicated that the ministry will work on completing Mwingi Kiambere water project, Kitimui dam, Thwake dam the Umaa dam, work on the Kindaruma-Kiomo-Mwingi-Migwani pipeline project from the Kiambere -Mwingi water project among others to curb water scarcity in Kitui.

He further assured of the Ministry's commitment to address water issues  in a strategic way to guarantee Kenyans have adequate* and safe water for use.