Inside government plan to use oil pipeline to supply water to Mombasa

The government is planning to reuse the 45-year-old Nairobi-Mombasa oil pipeline to supply water to Mombasa County.

In a Kenya Gazette notice published on July 23, the National Environmental Management Authority (Nema) said it had received the environmental impact assessment report on the proposed project that seeks to supply water from Mzima Springs directly to the coastal city. 

"The proponent, Kenya Pipeline Company Ltd, proposes to decommission and use part of the Mombasa-Nairobi Pipeline (Line 1) to supply water from Mzima Springs to Mombasa. The proposed project will cover a distance of 450km," Nema said in the gazette notice.

Also read: From oil to water: Kenya Pipeline Company sees new use for its old pipeline

Nema has invited public comments on the viability of the project and has given the public until August 23 to submit comments on the Environmental Impact Assessment Study (EIAS) report for the proposed project.

According to the report, a team of officials from Kenya Pipeline Limited and the Coast Water Works Development Agency has been formed to implement the project.

It says it will disinfect the pipeline and conduct water quality sampling to ensure that the water carried by the pipeline is fit for human consumption.

KPC has also proposed to engage the services of the National Youth Service,

Kenya Defence Forces and other government agencies to implement the project.

It says the project will not involve supplying water to residents along the route in

Taita Taveta, Kilifi and Kwale counties. However, it has asked the communities to send in their proposals for consideration.

Currently, the coastal town gets its water from Baricho Dam in Kilifi, Marereni

Springs in Kwale and the Mzima main pipeline, which also serves Taita Taveta, Kilifi and Kwale counties.

This is not enough to supply water to the more than 1.2 million people living in Mombasa.

KPC is also undertaking further studies to determine the sustainable option for the remaining section of the pipeline between Mtito Andei and Nairobi.

However, communities living along the pipeline have suggested that the pipe be reused to supply water to the area.

Also read: KPC enters drinking water business in revenue push

Some leaders in Taita Taveta County had questioned the Ministry of Water whether the project was related to the Mzima Two water project that the government is planning to implement to alleviate water shortages in the region.

"The proposed project is not the Mzima Two pipeline and will not interfere with the Mzima Two pipeline," the KPC report said.

Two weeks ago, appearing before MPs in the National Assembly, Water Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome denied claims that the government was planning to use the abandoned pipeline to implement the Mzima Two project.

The Mzima Two project is expected to supply water to Mombasa, Kwale, Kilifi and Taita Taveta counties.

Responding to a question from MP Lydia Haika, the CS said the Mzima Two pipeline was an independent project.

"This is an independent project that the government will implement very soon," she said.

Leaders in the county had raised concerns that the government was planning to bypass the county in the implementation of the Mzima Two project.

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