City water supply gets Sh7 billion boost from French aid agency

Water and Irrigation permanent secretary David Stower said the Constitution required that all citizens had access to safe water. Photo/FILE

City residents are set to say goodbye to dry taps after a French aid agency donated Sh7 billion to improve water supply.

The French Development Cooperation (AFD) assistance targets various water infrastructure.

AFD official Anthia Manasse said part of the money would go into the expansion of water pipes in Gigiri and Kabete and rehabilitation of Sasumua Dam, which supplies 50 per cent of water in the city. Ms Manasse told a workshop organised by the Athi Water Services Board (AWSB) that the Sh7 billion would also be spent on the improvement of the Sasumua, Ngendu and Dandora water treatment plants.

The official said AFD together with the World Bank was also financing a water masterplan for Nairobi and its satellite towns.

The master plan will determine water demands for the city for the next 25 years.

“The future of Nairobi is bright as far as water provision is concerned. We are on the right track to achieve the target,” Ms Manasse said.

AWSB chief executive Malakwen Murgor said the plan, meant to enhance water services and realisation of Vision 2030, was complete.

“We want to ensure equitable distribution of water within the city for 24 hours and increase bulk water supply,” Mr Murgor said.

The board’s chairman, Mr Reuben Ndolo, said water scarcity threatened food, health and national security and that the board, which catered for Nairobi and 13 satellite towns, was committed to ensuring adequate supplies.

Water and Irrigation permanent secretary David Stower said the Constitution required that all citizens had access to safe water.

In a speech read on his behalf by Ministry of Water official Peter Mangiti, Dr Stower said since the coming into effect of the Water Act in 2002, the majority of the poor had access to affordable and safe drinking water.

He said 2.5 million poor people in towns had clean drinking water while an additional eight million in Nairobi and its environs would have the commodity by 2015.