Govt declares borehole water in Bahari, Changamwe unsafe
Rajab Saidi, a resident of Bahati village in Changamwe, shows one of the many boreholes whose water is contaminated by oil. PHOTO | LABAN WALLOGA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Borehole water in the area found to be contaminated with oil.
- Nema says source of leak yet to be known.
The government has banned usage of borehole water in Bahati village, Changamwe after it was found to be contaminated with oil.
A multi-agency team comprising of public health officers, National Environment Management Authority (Nema), Kenya Refineries Company, Kenya Pipeline, Water Resource Management, Ministry of Interior and the county government made the decision as all samples taken from boreholes in the area were found to be contaminated with petroleum after residents complained over the situation.
Mr Ngugi Wanyoike, one of the residents, said water in some parts of the village had been contaminated for a long while, but the situation got worse in the past two weeks.
Another resident Patrick Nyambu complained of water shortage in the area after the ban was issued.
“We are now forced to buy water from private suppliers which is very expensive, ” said Mr Nyambu.
Mombasa Nema director Stephen Wambua said samples taken from nine boreholes in the village all had petroleum impurities but officials are yet to identify type of components and its source.
The Nation has established a parliamentary committee on energy and petroleum among other experts are expected to visit the area later week for a fact-finding mission to avert any future disaster.
