Residents of Valley View estate in Mavoko, Machakos county have engaged a foreign contractor to solve the water problem they have faced for six years.
More than 2,000 residents through their association, Valley View Residents Association, said they resorted to contract the Netherlands based firm trading as Hydrax Water Consultants after their pleas with relevant authorities to have the water problem sorted landed on deaf years.
The estate has lacked water for the last six years after they were disconnected to the important commodity’s main line.
The association’s vice chairperson Kennedy Karisa said they made the move after the residents approved a proposal to bring in an expert in water industry to have the problem solved once and for all.
“We on Sunday had our Annual General Meeting in which we discussed a wide range of issues that relate to the estate especially the water problem that we have been facing for the last six years," Krisa said.
"We have engaged a private contractor, Hydrax Water Consultants from Netherlands who is going to provide us with water from our boreholes."
He said the project will be up and running in two months’ time.
“He is going to purify the water and supply to residents at a cost that is seven times cheaper than what we are paying for water boozers and everything. All members had unanimously agreed that we should go on with the project,” Karisa said.
Karisa said that would be a big boost noting that Valley View will be the first estate in Mlolongo area to have a water purification plant. The plant will provide the residents with fresh water.
“It’s a major milestone for us and we are happy for it,” he said.
The water challenge remains a major problem not only in Mlolongo, but Mavoko subcounty in its entirety despite President William Ruto commissioning Sh2.7 billion drinking water supply project in Athi River in April 2023.
The project was expected to provide water to 500,000 residents of Mavoko Township, Athi River, Mlolongo and Syokimau.
"It will inject an additional 12,000m3 of daily water supply, up from the current 3000m3 to 15000m3 with 20,000 new connections to households," Statehouse spokesman Hussein Mohammed said in a statement.
On matters sewer, Karisa said the problem had been aggregated by a water and sewerage firm belonging to Machakos County Government.
He alleged that the estate’s sewerage plant was run down after its developer handed it over to a water and sewerage company belonging to Machakos County Government.
“The plant was effectively working when it was handed over. But, the firm hasn’t done anything. The plant isn’t working anymore, it’s out of state. We are asking Governor Wavinya Ndeti to come to our aid and assist us in having the sewer treatment plant working," Karisa said.
"We know El Nino is coming and it’s going to be a public health disaster."
Valley View estate is a gated community with 421 three-bedroomed houses, 100 houses occupied by Administration Police officers while 321 houses are occupied by civilians.
The officers’ units were officially commissioned by the then Minister of State Provincial Administration and Internal Affairs John Michuki in 2005.
Many structures in Mlolongo town and its environs use soak pits due to lack of a sewerage system.
“We use water boozers to survive. A 5,000 litres water boozer of fresh water costs Sh3,700,” a resident said.
“We are suffering with our families, some of us have as many as seven people in a household.”
Their neighbours who are police officers are, however, supplied with fresh water from Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company for free.