A total of 80 boreholes across Turkana County are set to undergo mega rehabilitation under the World Bank-funded Horn of Africa Groundwater for Resilience (HoAGW4R) project for the 2024-2025 period.
Each rehabilitation is expected to cost between ksh 20 and 30 Million.
Engineer Fredrick Rukoo, the focal person for the HoAGW4R project in Turkana, confirmed that the county had met all requirements to qualify for this upgrade phase, following successful submissions of compliance reports with environmental and social safeguards.
The HoAGW4R is a six-year initiative spanning five counties—Turkana, Mandera, Garissa, Marsabit, and Wajir—bordering Ethiopia and Somalia.
The $135 million program, funded by the World Bank, is implemented by the Ministry of Water, Sanitation, and Irrigation, in collaboration with the respective county governments, the Water Sector Trust Fund (WSTF), and the Water Resources Authority (WRA).
“The projects’ environmental and social safeguards team, land administrators and respective Sub-county water officers conducted site eligibility of the first 30 sites,” said Engineer Rukoo.
Additionally, a consulting firm is expected anytime to conduct feasibility studies to inform designs, plans, cost estimates, bill of quantities prior to roll out of the tendering process of the rehabilitation works.
The project aims to enhance sustainable access to and management of groundwater resources, with a focus on upgrading hand pumps, high-yielding boreholes, and underdeveloped sites.
During a briefing for directors of Rural and Urban Water Companies and members of the County Assembly, Engineer Rukoo outlined the project’s broader benefits.
These include significant investments in aquifers, improved management capacity for groundwater resources, and increased resilience of water systems to drought conditions.“The borehole upgrades are just one aspect of the project,” Engineer Rukoo noted.
“We are also focused on strengthening operations and maintenance, establishing functional Water Resource Users Organizations (WRUAs), and integrating sand dams to enhance water recharge and climate resilience.”
The project also includes a capacity-building component, offering scholarships for Master’s and professional-level training at prestigious universities.
Patrick Losike Lokaimoe, the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Water Services, expressed his appreciation for the project briefing.
He emphasized the importance of a coordinated approach to water project management, given the variety of models in place.
CECM Lokaimoe highlighted that familiarizing stakeholders with the project was essential to developing a shared understanding of the roles and responsibilities of all parties involved in implementing the HoAGW4R project.
“The project operates on a performance-based grant model, making it crucial for the department, County Assembly, and water company directors to work together to ensure successful outcomes. Success could attract additional funding,” he said.
The project aims to utilize nature-based solutions to strengthen the conservation, sustainable use, and recharge of the Lotikipi and Napuu aquifers in Turkana.
Additionally, the program seeks to enhance the groundwater information system by creating a data repository to guide decision-making.
The briefing session also addressed concerns regarding the integration of water for multiple uses, investment in water quality, and the significant investment required for aquifer exploitation.
Chair of the water committe at the Turkana County Assembly, Ikeny said that the assembly will effectively oversight the rehabilitation works to ensure value for money is realized.Hon.
Ikeny called for formation of a “water summit” through which all investments in water from various accounts including HoAGW4R, K-WASH, equalization fund and FLOCCA could be coordinated.
On his part, Lomodo, the leader of minority asked the HoAGW4R implementors to borrow good practices from successful water sector partners.
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