Turkana gets Sh20m boost for bore holes

An additional Sh20 million has been released to finance the sinking of more bore holes in Turkana to improve water supply in the arid region. The Rift Valley Water Service Board said the money is meant for the development of a second aquifer in Lotikipi area. The locals are already drawing water from the first aquifer.

Chief executive Japheth Mutai said the funds were released last week and that contractors were on site to conduct the drilling exercise.

“We have received money for drilling of more bore holes and our hydrologists are already on the ground carrying out the activity,” Mr Mutai said in an interview with the Business Daily yesterday.

Mr Mutai added that the engineers were currently fitting water pumps in four of the bore holes that had been sunk at the Napuu area, which hosts one of the two aquifers.

READ: Contractor begins drilling for Turkana water

Hydrologists project that the 250 billion cubic metres of water discovered in September last year, along the Kenya-South Sudan border could meet Kenya’s water needs for 70 years.

Mr Mutai urged the government to release additional cash for sinking of more bore holes as some of the foreign missions in the country had given an undertaking to partner with them in fitting the boreholes with the necessary infrastructure necessary for supplying of water.

“Israel, Britain, Japan, Netherlands and the United Nations are some of the donors that have promised to work with us once the bore holes have been sunk,” he said.

The large mass of underground water is expected to be shared by Kenya and South Sudan, helping curb historical conflicts over water by pastoralist communities across the border, according to the ministry of Environment.

Pastoralist communities have over the years fought over the little available water but now that it is in plenty, the conflicts are expected to ease. Mr Mutai said that a 300 metre deep bore hole can supply 50,000 litres of water in an hour, enough to meet the needs of 10,000 people.