Friday 20th September 2024

Today, the Cabinet Secretary for Water, Sanitation, and Irrigation, Eng. Eric Mugaa, inspected the Northern Collector Tunnel Bulk Water System as treated water from the Kigoro Water Treatment Plant has began flowing to Nairobi via the 55km treated bulk water pipeline. The project is a key milestone in enhancing water supply for the Nairobi Metropolitan region and beyond.

The Northern Collector Tunnel (NCT1) is part of the Nairobi Water Master Plan, which aims to improve water access to over 1.2 million residents by providing an additional 140 Million litres of clean water per day. The project is a critical component of the Fourth Nairobi Bulk Water Supply System, which involves the construction of several vital infrastructures, including the Northern Collector Tunnel 1 (NCT1) which is a 11.8km raw water transfer tunnel now complete and operational, the Kigoro Water Treatment Plant (KWTP) which is an ultra-modern facility designed to treat 140 million liters of water daily and Water Transmission pipelines from Thika Dam to Gigiri reservoirs in Nairobi, including 55km of steel pipes that convey both raw and treated water.

During the inspection, the CS highlighted the project’s impact, which extends beyond Nairobi to benefit counties like Murang’a, Machakos, Kajiado, and Kiambu.

The project forms part of the Ministry’s broader interventions aimed at addressing water shortages in Nairobi city and its surroundings, including laying transmission pipelines to the Western and Eastern regions of the metropolis.

The construction of the water transmission pipelines is largely complete, with 45km tested and flushed up to Kiambu. The remaining 10km section from Kiambu to Gigiri is set for completion by September 25, 2024. Once finalized, this system will ensure a steady and equitable water supply to Water Service Providers (WSPs) in these counties.

For instance, Nairobi will receive 136,500 cubic meters of water daily, while other counties, including Murang’a, Kiambu, Machakos, and Kajiado, will also see significant improvements in water distribution.

The CS was accompanied by the Principal Secretary MWSI Julius Korir, AWWDA Board Chair Charles Karondo, AWWDA B.O.D Dr. Boaz Cheluget and Simon Mukhwana, AWWDA Director Infrastructure Development Eng. Bonnie Nyandwaro among others.