Water shortage hits towns

Homa Bay and Nyamira towns have been hit by an acute water shortage after the Kenya Power and Lighting Company switched off electricity at pumping plants.

In Homa Bay, fears that a cholera epidemic that hit the town a month ago may strike again rose as the situation worsened.

Last month, two people died and 19 others were admitted to Homa Bay District Hospital after a cholera outbreak in the town.

With no drops from the taps, many residents of Homa Bay headed towards the lake.

But their bid to draw water from the lake was frustrated by the hyacinth weed that engulfed the entire Homa Bay pier. Jail warders led a number of prisoners to the lake to draw water.

A warder who requested not to be named said prison cells were stinking. He said a disease outbreak was looming unless the water situation improved.

Homa Bay District Hospital medical superintendent Ojuang’ Ayoma said the water reserve tanks they had been using since the crisis started were getting depleted.

Dr Ayoma said urgent measures need to be taken.

An official of the water company, Mr Joseph Ongoro, said that he had a meeting with the regional officers of KPLC in Kisumu in a bid to have the matter resolved.

“We did pay about Sh400,000 recently. We never expected KPLC to disconnect power, especially towards the weekend,” he said.

Instructions

Mr Ongoro said the bulk of funds KPLC was demanding were arrears they inherited and that the matter had been referred to the Ministry of Water headquarters.

He said the company had made a lot of efforts to reduce the arrears. But an official of KPLC in Homa Bay said they were merely acting on orders from above.

“Our hands are tied. We are merely acting on orders to disconnect both the Homa Bay water intake plant, Mbita and West Karachuonyo,” he said.

In Nyamira Town, power was cut at Nyangoso pumping station two weeks ago.

A source at Gusii Water Supply and Sanitation Company said that the move was taken due to an unpaid electricity bill of more than Sh3 million.

This is the third time KPLC has cut power to the pumping station this year, causing a water crisis for at least a month each time it occurred.

Boarding schools and the district hospital are hardest hit. Students and patients’ caretakers are travelling long distances to fetch untreated water from streams.

Water venders have taken advantage of the shortage and are selling a 20 litres for Sh20.