Meru County purchases rig to drill boreholes in dry areas

Meru County Government has bought a rig that will be used to drill boreholes in arid and semi-arid areas of the expansive region.

In coming months, boreholes will be dug in the dry Igembe, Buuri and Tigania regions where residents have had to trek long distances in search of water.

Water, Environment and Natural Resources County Executive Mary Mwiti told residents of Athiru Ruujine that a programme to construct water tanks had also been launched.

Each of the 225 water tanks to be constructed will have a capacity to store up to 225,000 litres of water.

“These tanks have roofs that will allow for the harvesting of  rain water.   We are introducing rain water harvesting technology in areas that have perennially faced water shortages,” Mwiti said. 

The county government has also constructed pipelines  through  most dry regions as it works on providing homesteads with clean water.

 “We want to ensure that our towns, schools, health centres and villages have clean and safe water. That is why even in dry areas we are sinking boreholes— to make sure that women and children do not trek for more than five kilometres in search of water. We have started a programme to construct tanks to collect rain water for dry spells,” said Mwiti.

The county  now how newly-purchased modern equipment to map underground water sources.