Vihiga to impose punitive penalties on water vandals
Vihiga Governor Wilber Ottichilo.
The Vihiga County government is proposing to impose hefty penalties of up to Sh20,000 on water vandals and for illegal connections as it seeks to protect the supply of piped water.
The plan, contained in the Vihiga County Finance Bill, 2022, comes as residents are eagerly waiting to be reconnected to piped water after the infrastructure was destroyed in the early 1990s.
The devolved unit is preparing to launch the Sh1.7 billion Vihiga cluster water project.
Pipes are being laid, rekindling residents’ hopes that they will start getting water from their taps.
Under the bill that is undergoing public participation, a Sh10,000 penalty will be imposed on anyone found tampering with water meters.
Governor Wilber Ottichilo’s administration proposes to slap another Sh20,000 on persons found connecting water illegally.
Self-connection of piped water would also attract a penalty of Sh5,000 if the proposed law is enacted in its current form.
The water project will be completed after being disrupted by Covid-19, signalling that regular water supply to homes and institutions will resume.
Belgian Government support
The Belgian government is funding the project through the Lake Victoria North Water Development Agency under the supervision of the Vihiga County government.
The project is 99 per cent complete, said Dr Richard Boiyo, the Water and Environment chief officer.
The project has three components: Lunyerere, Maseno and Kaimosi. It is expected to serve 250,000 residents, making it a major revenue stream for Vihiga once it starts operating.
Under the Finance Bill, 2022, which will be considered in the county assembly before it adjourns sine die, water tariffs for domestic, residential, commercial and government institutions will vary.
A flat rate of Sh500 will be charged for water use of up to six cubic metres.
Consumers who use from seven to over 1,200 cubic metres will be charged between Sh67.50 and Sh175 per cubic metre.
The mega project was signed by the Belgian government, the Kenyan government and Vihiga County in 2014 but work did not begin until 2018.
Construction stopped in March 2019 after the contractor, Balteaus SA, fled the country at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, fearing rising infections.
He returned to Kenya when Covid-19 numbers began declining, leading to revised timelines.
Dr Boiyo noted that when completed, residents will get a constant supply of the vital commodity.
"The Vihiga cluster water project is 99 per cent complete. It is in three stations at Lunyerere, Kaimosi and Maseno and will supply water to 250,000 residents. Water is life," he said.
The Kaimosi plant will supply water to the vast Hamisi sub-county, while the Maseno one will serve residents of Emuhaya and Luanda sub-counties.
The Lunyerere plant will serve residents of Vihiga and Sabatia sub-counties.
The plants have been fitted with solar panels that will provide alternative power when the main electricity grid is disrupted.
