State to invest Sh300 billion on water coverage in Lake region

The government has developed a plan to invest over Sh300 billion to increase water and sanitary systems in six counties in the lake region.

Through the Lake Victoria North Water Works Development Agency, the state will construct and rehabilitate existing water resource infrastructure to increase production by at least 106,000 cubic metres per day in Kakamega, Vihiga, Bungoma, Busia, Nandi and Trans-Nzoia.

CEO Joel Wamalwa said the agency was focusing its efforts to ensure access to water and development of major infrastructure, while the small projects such as sinking boreholes will be left to county governments.

Most of LVNWDA’s projects are gravity operated to reduce the cost of water, which will enable county Water Service Providers supply water at affordable rates.

Wamalwa said the agency will enter into MoUs with county governments within its catchment to commit them to to take care of the developed infrastructures in their respective areas.

Resources will be raised through negotiating for increased government funding by developing concept notes, exploring Public Private Partnerships to implement bankable projects and seeking infrastructure bonds to finance market-based projects.

The agency intends to construct sustainable low investment but high impact water infrastructure to increase coverage from 60.9 per cent to 100 per cent, as outlined in its 2022-27 strategic plan.

Ten existing water schemes with the capacity to produce an additional 5, 573 cubic metres of water for major towns in the catchment area are lined up for rehabilitation.

By developing new plants and rehabilitating existing schemes, sanitation systems will increase from 71.95 per cent to full coverage.

The agency will spend Sh1.7 billion to construct the Kakamega-Bungoma bulk water supply with a capacity of 110,000 cubic metres.

Another Sh6.25 billion will be used to build Busia gravity water supply, to produce 38,000 cubic metres, while Sh5 billion will go to Port Victoria-Sisenye-Rwamba, which will produce another 20,000 cubic metres of water daily.

Other projects include Keben Dam Water supply in Uasin Gishu county with the capacity of 20,000 cubic metres per day at a cost of Sh7.4 billion and Sosiat-Teldet water project with the capacity of 12,500 cubic metres per day at Sh 4 billion.