Lodwar, January 30, 2026 (Public Communication and Media Relations)

About 20 staff drawn from the Turkana County Department of Water Services and three water utility companies have completed a week-long, on-site training on water quality analysis, offered by the Kenya Water Institute (KEWI) with support from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Speaking during the closure of the training, the Assistant Director for Water Services and Head of the Water Quality Section George Aremon announced that the newly trained officers would lead the upcoming countywide water quality monitoring exercise.

“The countywide water quality monitoring exercise will involve systematic sampling from water sources, storage facilities, distribution networks and selected households. The samples will be tested and corrective measures taken where necessary. This is key to protecting residents and their livestock from unsafe and contaminated water that can cause disease,” he said.

While appreciating KEWI for the refresher program, Director Aremon directed the trainees to cascade the knowledge gained to colleagues who did not attend the training, noting that this would improve service delivery across the department and water utility companies.

“We are now more confident as a unit to conduct water quality monitoring across more than 2,000 boreholes. The staff have been trained on the use of newly acquired laboratory equipment, accurate calculation of chlorine demand, and the application of universal standards for comparing water quality levels,” he added.

JICA Head Dr. Atsushi Hanatani said the decision to support the training was informed by research evidence that identified capacity gaps among staff in handling water quality issues.

He noted that the inclusion of Kakuma Water Sewerage Company (KALWASCO) was deliberate, aimed at directly supporting host-refugee integration in line with the Shirika Plan.

KEWI Program Coordinator Moseti Walter said the institute was satisfied with the trainees’ engagement and discipline throughout the course, expressing confidence that the staff had acquired adequate skills to support the upcoming monitoring exercise.

“We are confident the countywide water quality monitoring will be a success, given the practical skills and knowledge the trainees have gained,” he said, adding that the staff had already undergone other trainings including curbing non-revenue water, operation and maintenance execution and water governance among others.