In order to enhance water supply, the Thika Water and Sewerage Company (Thiwasco) and the Danish organization Danida have partnered to upgrade and expand its infrastructure at a cost of Sh15.4 billion.
The project, scheduled to start in January 2025, would help put an end to water shortages and restrictions in the rapidly expanding town, which is aiming to become a city. It will take 36 months to complete.
When the project is finished, it will provide large-scale water supply, producing 70,000 cubic meters of water per day as opposed to the existing 40,000.
The project will involve building a new dam, extending the Chania River intake link, and installing a new water treatment facility, according to company chairman Joseph Wakimani.
In addition, new last-mile water connections will be provided, the current water treatment plant will be renovated, and the current water distribution networks will be replaced and rehabilitated.
The project would be crucial in meeting water needs since, if the town becomes a city, water demand is likely to rise from the current 60,000 cubic meters, the chairman stated during a tree-planting drive at the Company’s Kang’oki sewage site.
He claimed that the Company has been unable to adequately feed the growing population because it is dependent on antiquated water supply infrastructure that was established decades ago.
This significant undertaking will require a thorough renovation of our infrastructure. There will be new ones established in some regions. Everything is set up, and we anticipate starting construction in January,” he stated.
Additionally, the company hopes to gain from the multibillion-dollar Kariminu11 mega dam in Gatundu, North Sub County, which has been providing water to Nairobi, Juja, and Ruiru.
We are hoping to receive more water from Kariminu 11 Dam, and talks are still going on. This will help Thika’s bid to become a city and effectively address the city’s water problem, he added.
For residents who were forced to go without water due to rationing during the dry seasons, this development would be a big relief.
Joachim Njama, the Member of the County Assembly (MCA) for Ngoliba, praised the initiative, stating that it will allow the Company to provide water to his semi-arid ward in the lowest portion of the County, where residents are compelled to use the extremely contaminated River Athi for water.
We are eager for the project to start because it would provide a steady supply of water to our community, whose citizens have suffered greatly from a lack of water, according to Njama.
