Lodwar 22 November 2024 (Public Communications and Media Relations)

Turkana Urban Water has received a Ksh 22 million technical assistance grant from the USAID-funded Sustainable Transformational and Accessible Water Intervention (STAWI) program to enhance the capacity and resilience of Borehole 9A in Lodwar.

The project will involve borehole protection, solarization, and the construction of an elevated steel water tank to improve water supply for the target population.

County Executive Committee Member for Water Services, Patrick Losike Lokaimoe, noted that the intervention stems from an agreement reached five months ago, following the destruction of the borehole by the swollen waters of River Turkwel. This incident left approximately 40,000 residents without access to water.

“The notice to proceed issued by the USAID STAWI program to the contractors indicates that the work has commenced, with results expected in three months,” said CEC Lokaimoe. As an interim measure, the county drilled four replacement boreholes and redirected the water supply to serve affected residents.

However, the current project will focus on enhancing the capacity of one of these boreholes.

USAID STAWI’s scope of work, shared by Water Advisor Job Kitetu, includes the installation of a chlorine doser for water quality control and the construction of a perimeter fence to secure the borehole headworks. The project will also feature a solar power installation comprising 98 panels, capable of generating up to 50 kilowatts. This system will ensure continuous water pumping, reducing reliance on costly and unreliable electricity.

Upon completion, the upgraded borehole is expected to serve areas including Methewan, Juluk, Kambi Mpya, Slaughter Area, Namariat, and Sapcone. Other boreholes will act as booster systems to support the network.