Study by Japanese firm supports desalination plant

Desalination of sea water for use in Mombasa is a viable project, according to a feasibility study by a Japanese firm.

The county’s water executive, Ms Fatma Awale, said the five-month survey by Toyota Tsusho Corporation gave the nod for the construction of a desalination plant.

Ms Awale said the firm had proposed Shanzu as the ideal location for the project.

“Once set up, the plant is expected to produce 100 million litres of water a day,” the water executive said yesterday.

OPERATIONAL COSTS

She said the company was assessing the operational and construction costs.

“A report that will include the tariffs that consumers would be charged for the water supplied will be ready next month,” said Ms Awale.

She told the Nation in Mombasa that if all went according to plan, the construction would begin next year and end in 2017.

She said once the project was completed, water shortage in the county would be a thing of the past.

Currently, Mombasa receives 48 million litres of water a day from Baricho (Kilifi), Mzima Springs (Taita Taveta), Tiwi boreholes and Marere (Kwale).

Mombasa’s 1.2 million residents require 186 million litres of water a day.

DAM CONSTRUCTION

Apart from the desalination plan, Ms Awale said the county was banking on the Mwache multi-purpose dam in Kwale, to be funded by the World Bank at a cost of Sh17 billion, to meet demand.

The construction of the dam begins in July and should be completed in three years.

Mombasa is set to receive 110 million litres of water a day from the dam and Kwale 76 million litres.

Last year, after Kilifi, Kwale and Taita Taveta demanded levies, Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho said desalination was a priority to end the city's dependence for water on these counties.

Water Cabinet Secretary Judi Wakhungu reminded the counties that water was a national resource to be shared by counties.