The Cabinet Secretary for Water, Sanitation and Irrigation Eng. Eric Mugaa has launched an ambitious 5-year strategic plan for the Northern Water Works Development Agency to improve access to water and sanitation in six counties.
The plan for 2024 – 2028, which will require funding of approximately Sh63.7 billion in the next 5 years to be fully implemented, seeks to improve access to water in urban areas from 34 per cent to 44 per cent and 22 per cent to 32 per cent in rural areas.
In addition, the Agency targets to improve access to sanitation from 8 percent to 13 percent in urban areas and 29.1 percent to 34.1 percent in rural areas.
To achieve the goals, the agency will construct 346 water pans as a drought resilience measure and construct the Rahole Canal as a flood control measure from River Tana to hinterland.
At least 400 boreholes of which 100 will be solarized and six others to be powered by wind energy are set to be drilled across the six counties of Garissa, Wajir, Mandera, Marsabit, Isiolo, and Samburu where the NWWDA operates.
Additionally, 400 boreholes will be drilled or rehabilitated out of which 100 will be solarized while six others will run on wind power.
At the same time, 15,000 metres of roof catchment gutters will be installed, and connected to 250 water tanks of five cubic metres, and 100 sanitation facilities developed in public institutions across the region.
Speaking during the launch, the CS called on the water agencies to work closely with county governments and other development partners in order to realize the broader plan.
“I ask the board and the CEO to work hand in hand with the county governments because for us to achieve the target of Sh63 billion we need to pull in the same direction. We also need to work with NGOs and attract blended financing through public private partnerships and that is why we amended the Water Act 2016, to allow the agencies to become bulk water suppliers,” Mugaa said.
“The Ministry has invested more than Sh12 billion in this region but the water connectivity on the ground tells a different story. Irrespective of the write-ups we do, if the citizens have no access to water then they are all in vain,” he added.
Principal Secretary for Water Julius Korir called for the stakeholders to invest in the more sustainable projects which will have a continuous impact on the citizens.
“This region has been receiving a lot of money in the last few years especially funds addressing water supply challenges and this is an area we need to relook at our strategies. There is an audit report that came from the national audit office looking at the water infrastructure in the region and the verdict is that we have invested in small water pans that end up not being sustainable,” Korir said.
“As we roll out this strategic plan today, we need to look at this aspect so that we can invest in more sustainable projects,” he added.
By Erick Kyalo
