It is a sigh of relief for over 200 000 residents of Bomet as they anticipate consistent access to clean and reliable water, courtesy of a Sh1.7 billion Longisa-Mulot water project.
The project, which is funded by Africa Development Bank (ADB) and which was launched in April 2022, is projected to supply 17 billion litres of water each day to the residents of Bomet East and Chepalungu Sub-Counties.
According to the acting Managing Director of Bomet Water Company, Engineer Fredrick Ruto, the two Sub-Counties, which border Narok County and are categorized as Arid and Semi-Arid areas, have essentially relied on Mara River and water dams as their only source of water.
Ruto said the residents have never had access to treated water, resulting in the spread of multiple waterborne diseases, particularly typhoid which medics say is prevalent in the areas.
Engineer Cai Wei Hua, the Project Manager of China Railway Tenth Engineering Group Limited Company which is in charge of the project, said yesterday in a media brief that the 118 kilometre- pipe laying was 95 per cent complete.
Hua said the construction of a water treatment plant at Masese area was estimated to be 36 per cent complete while the putting up of seven 5 million litre-water storage tanks were at an advanced stage.
Beatrice Ngeno, a resident of Olokyin area of Kiplabotwa Location, Bomet East, told KNA that it was like a dream to have running water in her rural home. Ngeno said since she was born early in the 90s, it has been a norm to fetch water from the Amalo section of Mara River saying the work has been backbreaking but they had no alternative.
“We as women of this area have been fetching water using 20-litre jerricans, sometimes when carrying a baby or firewood at the same time but we are thankful that the Government has given us rest,” she said.
Joseph Kelong who is a farmer in the same area said it was beyond imagination to know that they will no longer depend on nature to grow any crops noting that rain has become erratic making agriculture unreliable.
Kelong said he expected his family’s hygiene and nutrition to improve, adding that his livestock production will equally improve since they will no longer travel to Amalo for water.
Source: Kenya News Agency