Counties sign deal to boost water output

[PHOTO: COURTESY]

Five counties at the Coast have inked a deal to scale up production of water to alleviate scarcity.

The Coast Water Services Board will operate a bulk water supply system for Mombasa, Kilifi, Kwale, Tana River and Taita Taveta counties. 

The system accounts for about 96 per cent of all the water production within the board’s jurisdiction.

During the signing of a memorandum of understanding for establishment of the system at a Kwale hotel, Water and Sanitation Cabinet Secretary Simon Chelugui said the MoU will be a game changer to create much needed synergy within the counties and respective water agencies who act as advisory parties.

The ceremony was attended by leaders from Kwale, Kilifi, Tana River, Taita Taveta and Mombasa counties.

A joint committee was established to enable dialogue between the parties.

In a meeting attended by Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya and his Kilifi counterpart Amason Kingi, they noted that the committee will act as a transitional body before an institution for the bulk water system is set up.

Chelugui said the Coast continues to face unique challenges in institutional organisation for provision of water and there is an urgent need for investments to address them.

“The national government and the county governments have been joined in this partnership by the two national water regulatory bodies; Water Services Regulatory Board and Water Services Authority as advisory parties,” he said.

He said his ministry has been implementing water security and and climate resilience projects nationally and at the Coast where the technical and financial support for the memorandum is partly provided.