KIAMBU, Kenya, May 21 – The construction of the Sh1.3 billion Kiambu-Ruaka water supply and sewerage project has officially kicked off.
Conducted under the Kenya Towns Sustainable Water Supply and Sanitation Program, the project will benefit over 100,000 residents of Ruaka and Kiambu town with improved supply of clean drinking water and sanitation services.
Water, Sanitation and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki says the African Development Bank funded project is part of the government’s efforts to provide fast-growing towns with sustainable water and sewerage systems cater for growing populations.
“Kenya’s Vision 2030 and its five-year Mid-Term Plan II (MTP-II) realization is heavily dependent on adequate and sustainable provision of water supply and sanitation services. It is therefore imperative that we prioritize the water sector investments including expansion of water supply and sanitation in towns,” said Cabinet Secretary Kariuki.
Kariuki added that the project will continue to build on the overall delivery gains made under Kenya’s devolution where counties will implement county specific activities while the national government through the Ministry and the newly formed Water Works Development Agencies will lead activities that involve more than one county.
“The Kenya Towns Program will benefit other fast-growing towns across the country in areas such as Kikuyu, Limuru, Machakos, Kisumu, Narok, Kakamega, Eldoret, Marsabit, Changamwe, Kitui, Watamu, and Nanyuki among others. While we do this, I urge all residents to stop encroaching on public and riparian land to pave way for future development projects. These areas have never had sewer connections before and all the waste from these towns is expected to drain into the Ruai wastewater treatment plant,” said Cabinet Secretary Kariuki.
The Kiambu-Ruaka project is implemented by the Athi Water Works Development Agency (AWWDA).
It will see the rehabilitation of the existing Kiambu waste water treatment plant, the construction of 108 kilometers of trunk and reticulation sewers covering areas of Kiambu and Ruaka, the construction of 25 kilometers water distribution network, the construction of four ablution blocks, the drilling of six boreholes with 48m3 pressed steel tanks and 450 last mile household connections.
So far, over 12 kilometers of water pipeline has been laid on within Kiambu and Ruaka areas. The project is expected to be completed in July 2021.
For years, Ruaka has been expanding in terms of population as more people move from the rural areas to settle in the town. Improved access to sustainable water supply and wastewater management services will now be a reality for residents of Riara, Kiu, Thindigwa, Ruaka, Ndenderu, Kiamumbi, Mugumo and Kanda Komu, Riabae, Kanunga, Ndumberi, Kangoya and Mwandus.
On a national scale, the Kenya Towns Sustainable Water Supply and Sanitation Program will provide more than 2.1 million people with reliable and sustainable water supply services and more than 1.3 million people with water and sewerage systems. In addition, the program will create more than 15,000 new jobs during and after its implementation.
