Nakuru County shuts down carwash outlets in Naivasha over pollution claims

The Department of Public Health in Nakuru County has closed down all car wash outlets in South Lake, Naivasha, accusing the owners of polluting nearby Lake Naivasha.

The most affected are the Karagita and DCK centres, which border the lake, whose water levels have been rising over the last couple of years.

This came as a multi-agency team embarked on demolishing structures along drainage systems in the town ahead of the expected El Niño rains.

According to Naivasha sub-county public health officer Margaret Mungai, all wastewater from the carwash was flowing into the drainage without any treatment.

She noted that the oil-contaminated water posed a danger to the lake, adding that this would worsen when the expected El Niño rains began pounding the region.

“We have closed down all carwash outlets along Moi South Lake Road as they do not abide by the law, with all the water waste heading to the lake,” she said.

Mungai further added that the sub-county disaster management committee had been activated ahead of the October rains.

She said that the committee was already unclogging blocked drainage systems and demolishing structures on waterways ahead of the projected heavy rains.

The senior officer said that with the expected rains, there were fears of a rise in water-borne disease, adding that the department was well prepared to deal with any outbreak.

“With other government agencies and the county government, we have embarked on a clean-up exercise, unclogging drainage systems and issuing water treatment tablets,” she said.

Meanwhile, water supply to Naivasha GK prison has been restored following a row between the prison and the Naivasha Water, Sewerage and Sanitation Company (NAIVAWASCO).

The water company disconnected the water supply to the staff quarters, which has over 2,000 tenants, a week ago following an illegal connection within the facility.

Engineer Nahashon Wahome, the water company managing director, confirmed that the water supply had been restored after their differences were resolved.

He was, however, quick to warn that the company would not tolerate any illegal connection, adding that it was losing millions every year due to such activity.

“Some of the prison staff had illegally diverted water to their farms, and we disconnected supply to the staff quarters, but this has now been resolved,” he said.

The shortage comes at a time when the prison department has decried low funding, which has adversely affected its services, including transport, internet services and warders' welfare.