- The installation is a result of commitment from the Leiden Conservation Foundation and support from the local communities.
- Families throughout Nandi county rely on water for domestic use and to care for their livestock, yet 54 per cent of people do not have access to safe water.
Image: HANDOUT
The International Crane Foundation has installed six freshwater springs in Nandi county this year, providing more than 5,000 families with fresh water.
The installation is a result of commitment from the Leiden Conservation Foundation and support from the local communities.
Families throughout Nandi county rely on water for domestic use and to care for their livestock, yet 54 per cent of people do not have access to safe water.
“We believe access to clean water is a fundamental human right,” Eva Tokoi, senior field officer for the foundation in Kenya, said.
“Yet, millions of people around the world lack this basic necessity.”
Tokoi said many Nandi residents, especially women and children, must travel miles from home into the wetland to collect water from open springs, sometimes having to sacrifice time in school.
However, not only is this water unsafe to drink unless treated, but it also disturbs the wetland area, an important resource for the community.
The wetland is a feeding and breeding ground for the endangered grey crowned crane.
“When looking for innovative ways to protect cranes, we always start by talking to the local communities,” Dr Joseph Mwangi, Kenya country manager for the International Crane Foundation, said.
“By working with the people that live there, as well as the local governments, together we can figure out the best way forward, combining community health and conservation efforts.”
The spring project involves collecting water from a source of the spring and providing free access to the site to everyone who needs clean water.
The eye of a spring is the point where water from an underground spring emerges at the surface of the ground. Springs can form when the water table, or the top level of groundwater, meets the surface.
The water can flow out of a single hole or seep out along a line. Sites are selected based on their durability, the likelihood of the spring benefitting many people, acceptance and ownership from the local community and the presence of grey crowned cranes.
The innovative design is cost-effective, low-maintenance and is built for long-term sustainability.
Once the sites are selected, a community group is set up to manage the project using a phased approach.
The group first sets goals and then helps with land siting, legal issues and water quality tests.
This involves building a filtration system as designed by the county water department with a simple mechanism to ensure the water is clean.
Before construction, the immediate area at the discharge is excavated and filled with rocks and gravel of different sizes to filter the water.
A block wall is then constructed to hold the excavated area, after which a collecting water tank is built.
Next, pipes are built.
This includes the overflow pipes located near the top of the tank; a water fetching pipe located in the middle where community members can collect the water; and a washout pipe – located at the bottom of the tank (for use when washing the tank).
This structure ensures surface flow does not enter the water tank to avoid contamination.
“This approach brings ownership and sustainability to each project,” Tokoi said.
Each site costs between Sh450,625 and Sh515,000 for construction materials.
The foundation can build 10 springs per year, however, the current budget only allows for two or three per year.
“We would love to expand our ability as funding allows...We are always looking for donors willing to support our work in Kenya,” Mwangi said.
The six springs already installed have provided clean water to families, schools, churches, hospitals and shopping centres.
With access to fresh water, the foundation is reporting fewer disturbances in the wetlands and a higher percentage of crane habitat for breeding.
The partnership has other community benefits as well – including less crane poisoning reported, community members caring for crane nesting sites and overall improved tolerance to cranes throughout Nandi county.
“All species thrive when we work together,” Mwangi said.
The International Crane Foundation works worldwide to conserve cranes and the ecosystems, watersheds and flyways on which they depend.
The non-profit conservation organisation was established in 1973 and registered in the United States of America.
Leiden Conservation Foundation was formed in 2011 by Tom and Kathy Leiden of Cleveland, Ohio.
Their passion for nature started 30 years ago when Tom became interested in birding in his hometown of Cleveland.
His study of birds led him to appreciate the interconnections of nature and thus began a lifelong journey to help conserve the world’s wildlife.