Murang’a assembly to discuss viability of water project intended for Nairobi
A resident of Kinyona Village in Murang'a County shows where River Gikiigii and Irati join. A water tunnel set to be dug from here to pump water to Ndaka-ini dam has generated heated debate. The Murang’a County Assembly is set to debate the technical report on the viability of the project. PHOTO | JOSEPH KANYI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
The fate of the World Bank-funded water project intended to serve Nairobi now lies in the hands of the Murang’a County Assembly.
The assembly is set to debate the technical report on the viability of the project.
The committee of experts which had been constituted to probe the north collector tunnel handed its report to Governor Mwangi Wa Iria, the county assembly Speaker Nduati Kariuki and members of the Water and Natural Resources committee.
The committee which comprised 25 experts was led by an engineer, Wangai Ndirangu, was constituted in January after controversy revolving around the construction of a water tunnel.
The experts’ mandate was to establish whether the tunnel will reduce the water levels in three rivers which would be affected by the proposed project.
They were also to environmental impact assessment, its impact to the downstream flow of water and the benefits to be accrued to the residents.
NEGATIVE IMPACT
According to a source privy to the report, if the project is implemented in the way it is currently proposed, it will have some serious negative impact.
The source added that the experts have given several recommendations to be followed in the implementation of the project.
The proposed tunnel is to cover 11.8 kilometres and will have a 3-metre diameter and proposed depths of between 20 meters to 25 meters below the surface subject to the terrain.
It is set to draw water from three main rivers, namely Irati, Gikigie and Maragua and it is intended to convey approximately 140,000 cubic meters per day into Ndaka-ini dam in efforts to satisfy the residents of Nairobi and satellite towns with drinking water.
The current shortfall for Nairobi is about 200,000 cubic meters per day which leads to frequent water rationing.
Last week Murang’a Senator Kembi Gitura urged the Athi Water Services Board to stop the construction of the water collector until the report was released and a binding agreement reached.
“The construction of the tunnel had been suspended awaiting the technical report on the impact of the project but the State-owned body has started construction without clear guidelines,” said the senator.
