Lodwar – September 11, 2025 (Public Communication and Media Relations)
Sub-county water and water service provider officers are working towards developing a water assets inventory dashboard designed to present the county’s water infrastructure in a simplified visual interface for easier management.
The dashboard, titled Turkana “Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Map”, is being developed in collaboration with LOKADO and funded by Welthungerhilfe Kenya. It is a dynamic and integrated tool for effective monitoring, management, and planning of water infrastructure and services across the county.
In his opening remarks, Director Water Services Paul Lotum highlighted the importance of the dashboard in decision-making as the county plans for the future of water provision for residents.
“The dashboard will improve the monitoring, planning, and management of the county’s water infrastructure. When water resources are managed well, no one should complain of thirst or hunger, or no livestock die,” he said.
He further added that the dashboard would be enhanced through integration with sanitation data and water data collected over the years through various initiatives.
The dashboard is designed to present key performance indicators, using data from sub-county water officers, in an easy-to-understand visual interface. This will allow users to monitor performance, identify trends and gaps, and make informed decisions.
Felix Tomno, the Turkana East Sub-county Water Officer, stated that the dashboard would guide efforts to map sources with potential for groundwater. If the potential is considered to be poor, he said, it would save resources as it would pave the way for tailor-made interventions.
“The water service providers are expected to provide clean and safe water, and by mapping out areas with fluoride or saline water quality, they will be able to develop appropriate interventions,” he said.
Senior Drilling Superintendent Anderson Koskey noted that the dashboard would capture borehole data to make it easier to identify and map water points for current and future use.
“It will further enhance geophysical investigations, as the county will be able to pinpoint areas with potential aquifers based on the dashboard’s data,” he said.
As the main facilitator of the meeting, Dennis Ekiru – LOKADO WASH Liaison – said that the dashboard’s parameters could be expanded to suit the county’s needs.
He emphasized that data should be of high quality and urged the officers to ensure that the boreholes were compliant with set standards and regulations.
“The Water Resources Authority will be able to identify licensed boreholes and also visit illegal sites to ensure compliance, as the dashboard will provide coordinates,” said Josephine Oyaro, the Licensing Officer attached to the Authority’s Turkana Office.
The Water Resources Authority is mandated to ensure the sustainable use and management of groundwater by monitoring groundwater levels, assessing resources, and regulating water abstraction.
In the discussions, participants identified gaps and made recommendations to improve the dashboard.
The dashboard will be commissioned at a later date.
