Despite the launch of sh., residents of Homa Bay continue to experience water shortages. 1.4 billion water project in the first quarter of this year.
Eight months ago, Raila Odinga, former Prime Minister, commissioned the project which was funded in part by the Kenyan-Belgian governments.
It is called the Homa Bay Cluster Water Project. It was created to address the perennial drought in Homa Bay and its surrounding areas.
Residents claim that the delay in the project’s completion exposes them to the risk of contracting diseases from the raw water drawn directly at Lake Victoria.
Shauri Yako resident Ms. Ivone Abich said that families in the area were promised that the project would solve all their water problems.
She said that the situation has remained the same and the promises just that, “We were also promised that water will be supplied at a cheaper cost. Until now, no one has benefited from it,” she said.
Abich stated the lake had been heavily polluted by the raw sewage from the nearby town.
“Sometimes the lake produces a bad smell but there is nothing we can do about it,” she said.
The town is experiencing water crisis, which has forced water vendors to raise the price of their water. They supply water using carts and donkeys.
“We buy 20 litre jerrican at Sh 50 and nobody can tell how clean the water we get at our doorsteps is,” said the resident.
John Adika, another resident of town, stated that Homa Bay Water and Sanitation Company (“Homawasco”) was still billing some addresses, which have not had water for a while.
“There could be some cartels at the water department who take advantage of the crisis to earn money,” said Adika.
Homa Bay’s water demand is 5000 cubic meters per day. Once operational, the project can produce 8800 cubic metres. It is therefore the most suitable solution for the crisis.
It was impossible to reach the Chief Officer of County Water for a comment as his phone remained unanswered.
By Brian Odhiambo, and Davis Langat
Source: kenyanews
