Kirinyaga water shortages ease as 29 projects completed
A woman fetches water at the completed Kiburu borehole in Ndia Constituency. A total of 29 water projects in Kirinyaga County were completed in the last financial year.
Thousands of residents of Kirinyaga are rejoicing after the completion of various projects that are now helping address perennial shortages in various parts of the county.
A total of 29 water projects were completed in the last financial year while others are currently ongoing.
The projects involved the installation of water pipes and fittings, drilling and equipping of boreholes, construction of water intakes and procurement of water tanks for distribution among residents.
Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru said the projects are in line with her vision of ensuring access to clean water by all households as a way of improving the hygiene standards in the county.
On provision of water for irrigation, Ms Waiguru said that the aim of her administration was to enhance agricultural production, which plays a critical role in the county’s development agenda.
Some of the developments completed in the past financial year include Giakairegi, Kathaka and Kinyako water projects as well as Kirima and Kiamuthambi boreholes in Kirinyaga Central.
In Mwea Constituency, the completed projects include Kithiriti-Musangondi irrigation water project and Kiandegwa, Togonye, Kitheru, Rurii and Kiorugari water projects that will now provide steady irrigation and domestic water supply. Others include Riagicheru which is serving about 3,000 residents with domestic and irrigation water.
In Ndia Constituency, the county government completed Mukui, Sagana and Mung’etho water projects and Kiburu and Kamoro borehole projects, while in Gichugu Constituency, Ngariama Njukiini and Kiagikiki projects are among those that have been completed.
Judy Wanjiku, a beneficiary of Kiburu borehole project, says that it has brought great relief especially to women who have had to travel long distances in search of water for domestic use.
Apart from supplying clean water to households, Governor Waiguru noted that the projects also created employment opportunities for youth who provided labour during the various phases of implementation.
In previous years, Ms Waiguru’s administration had completed 27 water projects, benefiting more than 30,000 residents in the county.
The projects include Mwea Makima which now serves about 5,639 households in Wang’uru and its environs where water shortage had been a major issue of concern for a long time.
Availability of clean water in Mwea has led to reduction of waterborne diseases that were prevalent in the area as a result of some residents fetching disease-infested water from rice canals.
Governor Waiguru said that the accelerated programme that seeks to complete water projects in the county targets to connect 80 per cent of all households in the county with piped water by 2022.
