Mombasa to benefit from Sh20bn World Bank sponsored water project
Water Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa. The CS has asked top Western Kenya politicians to forget the presidency. He spoke a day after Ford Kenya party leader Moses Wetang’ula announced his bid for the top seat. PHOTO | BILLY MUTAI
What you need to know:
- Sh20.4 billion will be spent on improving water supply in Mombasa County
- Water Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa and Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho also signed the water purchase agreement in a ceremony witnessed by World Bank director Junaid Ahmad in Paris on Wednesday.
- Mombasa population’s daily water demand stands at 160 million litres against a supply of 48 million litres from neighbouring Kilifi, Kwale and Taita Taveta counties.
Some Sh20.4 billion will be spent on improving water supply to Mombasa from Kwale County.
According to a statement released from Paris by the Presidential Strategic Communication Unit, the funds for the Mwache Dam multi-purpose project in Kwale will come from the World Bank.
Water Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa and Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho also signed the water purchase agreement in a ceremony witnessed by World Bank director Junaid Ahmad in Paris on Wednesday.
The bank had made the water purchase agreement a condition for the funding of the project in Kwale County.
“When the Mwache project is completed, it will supply 186 million litres of water a day to Mombasa residents. The project will help address frequent water shortage in Mombasa,” Mr Wamalwa said.
WATER SHORTAGE
Mr Wamalwa made the remarks on the sidelines of the UN Climate Conference in Paris which was attended by world leaders, including President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Mr Joho thanked the government for securing the $200 million funding from the World Bank for the implementation of the Mwache Dam project.
The Governor said Mombasa population’s daily water demand stands at 160 million litres against a supply of 48 million litres from neighbouring Kilifi, Kwale and Taita Taveta counties.
“Mombasa is hit hard by water shortage since the county lacks fresh water sources.
We are banking on the Mwache project as a lasting solution to the water shortfall affecting residents,” said Mr Joho who revealed that the county requires 160 million litres of water daily.
The county is also exploring possibility of establishing a plant which can de-salinate 100 million litres of sea water a day.
A study carried out by the county, through support of a Japanese firm last year established the viability of desalinating of sea water
