Water shortage in Mombasa affects one million people

Water is sold in Changamwe on June 8, 2016. PHOTO | LABAN WALLOGA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Coast Water Services Board Technical Manager Martin Tsuma said they had to shut down the water station on Sunday after a pipe connected to boreholes raptured.

  • The Baricho station is a major supplier of piped water to Malindi, Watamu, Kilifi and Mombasa North.

At least a million people at the Coast have for the past three days gone without water following the closure of the Baricho station in Kilifi County.

Coast Water Services Board (CWSB) Technical Manager Martin Tsuma said they had to shut down the water station on Sunday after a pipe connected to boreholes burst.

The Baricho station is a major supplier of piped water to Malindi, Watamu, Kilifi and Mombasa North.

It produces a total of 90 million litres of water per day, of which 23 million litres are supplied to Malindi. Kilifi receives 20 million litres and Mombasa North 47 million litres a day.

The closure of the station has triggered a water crisis at hotels in Malindi and Watamu, schools, hospitals, prisons, dairy farms and residential homes.

Garoda Beach Resort Resident Manager Daniel Mwita said the hotel had gone without sufficient water since Sunday.

“Of late, we have been facing water supply interruptions and there is need for the board to find a lasting solution to the problem,” he said.

The hotelier said the water crisis comes at a time when hotels have started to receive guests for the high tourism season.

ADDRESS INTERRUPTIONS

Malindi and Watamu Tourism Association Secretary Harvey Ndege urged Water Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa to intervene and address the interruptions in the supply of the commodity, which he said were mainly caused by power disconnections.

He said since Sunday, hotels had been hit hard by a water shortage, prompting them to buy the commodity from private suppliers at exorbitant prices.

“For years, hotels have been facing water shortages over power disconnections due to the non-payment of power bills by the Coast Water Services Board,” he said.

When reached for comment, CWSB acting Chief Executive Officer Joseph Omwange said engineers were repairing the burst pipe. He said the works were to be completed on Tuesday and that the station would resume supplying water to consumers from Wednesday.

“I appeal to consumers to bear with us as our engineers are working round the clock to repair the damage on our main pipe connected to boreholes,” he said.

Mombasa Water Supply and Sanitation Communication Manager Sarah Langat said the affected areas include the upmarket Nyali suburb, Bamburi, Shanzu, Kisauni, Bombolulu, Mtopanga, Kisimani, Mlaleo, Barsheba and Mwandoni.

She said to avert a water crisis at the Coast General Hospital, the water firm supplied the health institution with fresh water using a bowser.

Ms Langat said the firm also supplied fresh water to some schools in Mombasa that were affected by fires.

Due to the shortage, residents in Mombasa North ended up buying a 20-litre container of water for Sh20 to Sh40.