Residents of Manyatta draw water from a tanker lorry, a free supply provided by KIWASCO to those areas affected by construction that was ongoing earlier this year. /Photo: KIWASCO/
The Kisumu county government through Kisumu Water and Sanitation Company (KIWASCO) is striving to address the water crisis across the eight sub counties even as other areas still suffer from dry taps.
During the financial year 2023/24, the county government of Kisumu through its water department initiated various key flagship water projects that would make the county water secure through the provision of durable and safe water
The department had undertaken the development of new water infrastructure, rehabilitation and augmentation of the existing water supplies, capacity building of the members of the water management committee for sustainable management of the projects and developing policies for efficient and effective water service provision in the county.
The county government of Kisumu through its water department had realized several key achievements in its flagship water projects. The flagship projects in the water sub sector that had so far been implemented by the water department comprised God Nyithindo water project in Muhoroni Sub county that serves approximately 1,000 people, Eshuvalu water project in Kisumu West Sub county that serves approximately 10,000 people and Pala Angoro water supply project in Nyando Sub county serving two villages namely Pala Angoro in Awasi Onjiko administrative ward with about 240 households.
Other key water projects the department has implemented includes Simba Gero water project in Seme Sub county to augment Kisumu rural water supply serving three villages namely Simba Gero, Kamolo A and Konjula A in East Seme ward with approximately 300 households among others.
The county government of Kisumu had also collaborated with various partners in the water Sub sector to extend the provision of the commodity to other areas of the county as well.
The partners comprised Safe Water and AIDS Project (SWAP) that had supported Chuth Ber community water project which benefits approximately 700 households living around Chuth Ber market.
Kisumu Water and Sanitation Health (KIWASH) had on its part funded two.water projects namely Nyahera Mkendwa water project located in Gee village of North Kisumu ward of Kisumu West Sub county that serves approximately 2,400 households of Gee area and the whole of Kisumu north ward. The other one is the Sondu Miriu Right Bank water project that is serving approximately 1,000 households.
Lastly, Ochat Water supply and Sanitation project which is supported by Living Water Center that serves approximately 1,000 households.
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke to The Nyanza Review yesterday lauded the county government of Kisumu through its water department for taking the initiative to establish a water project in the village saying that they have been facing acute water scarcity for a longer period of time.
“As a community, we are so very grateful to the county government of Kisumu through the visionary Governorship of Prof Anyang Nyongo to bail us out of the challenges we had been facing,” said Joanes Achero, the village leader.
Hereniah Ongulo, a mother of five on her part expressed excitement saying the challenges she had been facing trekking long distances to draw water from a water spring at a nearby hill is now a thing of the past.
