Lodwar – June 19, 2025 (Public Communication and Media Relations)

The Department of Water Services, in collaboration with Water Resources Authority (WRA), has conducted a water quality monitoring exercise at six selected water supply sites in Lodwar, marking a step forward in ensuring access to safe potable water for residents.

The exercise is part of ongoing efforts to operationalize the county’s newly established water quality laboratory, launched in March— a first in Turkana County. The lab is expected to significantly improve water safety, environmental protection, and public health by enabling testing for 13 water quality parameters.

At Nakwamekwi Comprehensive School, where over 1,600 learners, including 200 in the Early Childhood Development Education Centre, rely on two borehole-supplied water points, school’s management has been concerned about water safety.

“The hand pump borehole had a strange smell, which we assumed was caused by nearby tree roots,” said Deputy Head Teacher Priscilla Lotieng.

Following the onsite tests, the monitoring team assured the school that the water was safe for consumption. They also committed to collecting further samples for comprehensive testing at the lab.

The team assessed several physical parameters during the monitoring exercise, including pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, conductivity, total dissolved solids and temperature.

George Aremon, Assistant Director of Water Services and team lead, stated that the presence of the lab was to assist the department monitor the water quality across the county. This, he added, was to ensure that quality met the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) standards.

“The lab is a vital tool in ensuring our groundwater is safe for human use,” he said.

The team selected a borehole from each water supply of Moi Gardens, Nakwamekwi school, Napuu, Nabulon and Loborot.

To further support its operations, the county is in the process of recruiting two water quality officers.

Joel Muli, a WRA Water Quality Officer, noted that water quality is dynamic and can vary with changes in season or usage patterns.

“When poor water quality is detected, we recommend alternative uses alongside awareness creation on water quality and safety,” said the Assistant Director Aremon.