Officials clash over water shortage

What you need to know:

  • The shortage triggered fears of a fresh cholera outbreak among residents of the sprawling Shauri Yako slums that were recently hit by the disease.
  • Water shortage in the Lake side town started on Friday last week forcing most families to spend the weekend without a drop of water from their taps.
  • Some families were forced to turn to the heavily polluted water as others collected water from their roofs following a heavy down pour on Sunday.

Officials of Kenya Power and the South Nyanza Water Company Ltd in Homa Bay County on Tuesday traded accusations acute shortage of water in the area.

The shortage entered its third day on Tuesday.

An official of the Water Company blamed the shortage on power fluctuation a claim that was vehemently denied by a Kenya Power official in Homa Bay town.

“Let the officials of South Nyanza Water Company address their problems. Let them stop using Kenya Power as a scape goat,” said an official who however sought anonymity.

He wondered how the issue of power fluctuation had contributed to shortage of water in Homa Bay for the last three days yet there has been no major blackout.

The shortage triggered fears of a fresh cholera outbreak among residents of the sprawling Shauri Yako slums that were recently hit by the disease.

Water shortage in the Lake side town started on Friday last week forcing most families to spend the weekend without a drop of water from their taps.

Some families were forced to turn to the heavily polluted water as others collected water from their roofs following a heavy down pour on Sunday.