Joy as remote Turkana village gets first fresh water borehole

Turkana village

The Sh1.2 million hand pump water project handed over to Lobolo Primary School will also serve locals.

Photo credit: Sammy Lutta | Nation Media Group

More than 5,000 residents of Lobolo, a remote village in Turkana Central Sub-county, are breathing a sigh of relief after a US charity sunk a borehole that will provide them with a freshwater source, the first in the area that relies on Lake Turkana’s saline waters.

The Sh1.2 million hand pump water project handed over to Lobolo Primary School will also serve locals.

Maisha Project Founder, Beatrice Williamson, urged the school to work closely with the community to establish a structure for proper management of the project.

"Access to clean, safe and affordable water will greatly contribute to elimination of waterborne disease and ensure pupils don't waste their time walking two kilometres to crocodile-infested Lake Turkana to fetch water," she said.

Nominated MCA Mathew Alany noted that Lake Turkana has been the main water source for locals in Lobolo despite being considered unsafe because of high fluoride levels.

He said fluorosis was common and is easily evident from the mildly discoloured teeth of locals, as many were consuming water directly from the lake.

"The borehole is a blessing to the people of Lobolo. Besides many of the related health benefits, it will also save them from man-eating crocodiles," he said.

He urged the county government to capitalise on the project and invest in solar power sources that will pipe water to the nearby health centre.