According to Principal Secretary for Water and Sanitation Julius K. Korir, the Muruny–Siyoi Dam Kapenguria Water Supply Project is almost finished and should greatly increase people of West Pokot County and surrounding areas’ access to clean and dependable water.
The multibillion-shilling dam being built by the National Water Harvesting and Storage Authority (NWHSA) is currently 85% complete, according to Korir, who spoke during a site visit to the project. The dam wall is anticipated to be finished by July of this year.
The project, which has been underway since 2015 and has cost Sh9.7 billion in total, aims to alleviate the region’s ongoing water scarcity. The area is categorized as an Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) area.
Over 350,000 people in Kapenguria, Makutano, Kacheliba, and neighboring settlements are anticipated to benefit from the Muruny–Siyoi Dam’s 9.3 million cubic liters of water storage capacity once it is put into service.
According to Korir, the main pipeline and all of the dam tanks have been finished and are presently being tested to make sure they satisfy the necessary technical requirements before being put into service.
With the help of consistent river flow and seasonal rainfall, Korir predicts that water impoundment at the dam will start in April or May of this year and that the reservoir will be completely filled by December.
The project is anticipated to greatly improve livelihoods in the drought-prone area by increasing water availability for pastoral and irrigation purposes in addition to domestic consumption.
The project includes community social responsibility programs to provide access to clean water at the local level in addition to the primary supply network.
