Sh34 billion dam to ease Nakuru’s water problem

The Italian Government will fund the construction of Itare Dam at a cost of Sh34 billion to curb perennial water shortage in Nakuru.

Many manufacturers have closed shop and investors have shied away from the town because of the crisis.

Kenya signed the agreement with the Italy’s BNP Paribas and Intesa San Paolo Bank on Wednesday last week for the construction of the mega dam in Ndoinet, Kuresoi.

The deal was signed when Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi visited President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House in Nairobi this month.

Project manager Henry Cheruiyot of the Rift Valley Water Services Board, who did a viability study, chose Itare as the best source of water for the populous cosmopolitan town.

“Nakuru has been relying on borehole water as well as supply from neighbouring counties. Environmental experts opposed plans to source water from rivers in Gilgil and Naivasha because it would have tampered with the Lake Naivasha Basin,” he said.

Mr Cheruiyot said the water board took the proposal to the National Treasury. But since the money needed for the project is substantial, an international tender was floated.

“The project went through a rigorous tendering after receiving hundreds of bids from different countries,” said Mr Cheruiyot.

The project will be undertaken by Muratori and Cementitsti of Ravenna, Italy, which won the tender in September last year.

Mr Cheruiyot said the water board settled for Itare as the most economic and sustainable source of water since it is located next to the Mau Forest Complex.

The 57m-high Itare Dam, which is expected to produce 100,000 cubic metres of water in a day, will have three permanent tributaries that include Sondu, Ndoinet and Songol rivers.

Mr Cheruiyot said the funds would cover the entire project including a 113-kilometre pipeline, treatment works, and a 14.5 kilometre tunnel.

The project manager said the water board had applied for a Sh30 billion ($350 million) loan, but because of the fluctuating shilling, the amount shot up to Sh34 billion. He said the tendering was competitive and the winning quotation was the lowest.

Mr Cheruiyot said the tunnel and consultancy fees would cost a substantial amount.

The Treasury negotiated the loan, which the National Government will service at an interest of two per cent for 20 years.

“The water will flow by gravity since electricity is very expensive and will be channelled through a contour to Chepsir and along the highway to Londiani junction.

“It will then pass through a 400m underground tunnel to Sachng’wan,” said Mr Cheruiyot.

He said three tanks with a capacity of 5,000 cubic metres would be constructed at Kirobon, Ngata and the water would be used by 800,000 people in Rongai, Molo, Nakuru Kuresoi and Elburgon.

The water board Chief Executive Officer Japheth Mutai said after completion of the dam, water supply would increase significantly in line with Vision 2030.

“Nakuru residents and investors have been suffering since they have been getting only half of their daily demand of 65,000 cubic metres. We are optimistic that an increased supply of clean water would attract investors,” he said.

Mr Mutai said that factories, which require a large amount of water could not operate in the town due to rationing and high levels of fluoride in the water.

“Manufacturers such as Flamingo Bottlers, which relocated to Eldoret in 2004, had to purify borehole water, thereby spending extra time, labour and money,” he said.