In order to alleviate water shortages in the Nairobi Metropolitan area, the Kenyan government has put the Sh 4.5 billion (about USD 35 million) Kigoro Water Treatment Plant in Gatanga, Murang’a County, into service, according to the Kenya News Agency. The facility is a part of the 4th Nairobi Water Supply Projects, a ground-breaking project that will likely increase over 1.2 million people’s access to clean water in the counties of Murang’a, Kiambu, Nairobi, Machakos, and Kajiado.
140 million liters of water will be treated daily by the plant, which is jointly funded by the Kenyan government and the Agence Française de Développement (AFD). Eng. Eric Mugaa emphasized the project’s cutting-edge features, which include its small size, SCADA automation for real-time monitoring, and its in-house manufacturing of sodium hypochlorite for water disinfection.
Urban water shortage continues to be an issue due to the annual population growth. According to Mugaa, “there are significant gaps and a huge demand in the city,” “The government’s massive agenda of developing water projects to address these demand gaps includes this project.” The infrastructure of the plant, which is overseen by the Athi Water Works Development Agency (AWWDA), is expected to significantly reduce the region’s daily water shortage of about a million liters.
While Gatanga MP Edward Muriu highlighted the plant’s potential to enhance local economic growth and improve livelihoods by reducing reliance on river water, AWWDA Chairman Charles Karondo praised it as a historic accomplishment in Kenya’s water infrastructure.
An important turning point in Kenya’s efforts to improve water security and update infrastructure for sustainable urban development is the Kigoro Water Treatment Plant.
