Makutano: The newly completed Makutano-Kenol water supply and sewerage project is poised to benefit over 70,000 residents across Makutano, Wempa, Mareira, Karimamwaro, Gatanga, Kabati, Kenol, and Wangu towns.
According to Kenya News Agency, the Sh1.2 billion project was launched in 2021 by the Athi Water Works Development Agency (AWWDA) and was funded through a partnership between the Government of Kenya and the African Development Bank (ADB). The project encompasses the installation of 32 kilometers of sewer lines and 195 kilometers of water lines, along with masonry water storage tanks.
During an inspection tour, AWWDA CEO Eng. Joseph Kamau confirmed that the project is complete and will soon be operational under the Kenya Towns Sustainable Water Supply initiative, aiming to improve sanitation standards for residents. ‘The sewerage plant is also complete, and we are at the final inspection stage, after which it will be handed over to the water company (MUSWASCO) for operations and management,’ he said. ‘The wastewater treatment plant can treat 3,000 cubic meters of wastewater daily, benefiting over 1,000 households, which are expected to connect to the sewer line, thus contributing to a cleaner environment.’
Kamau mentioned that the connections will begin immediately and are expected to be completed within two months. The project also includes the installation of a 17-kilometer trunk sewer pipeline and 15.5-kilometer pipes for reticulation sewers. Residents of Kenol and Kabati will benefit as the sewer line will connect over 1,000 households currently relying on septic tanks.
Eng. Kamau highlighted the project’s significance, describing the wastewater management plant as transformative for the Kenol-Makutano urban areas by providing effective waste management and sanitation systems. ‘We have done a lot of waterworks upstream to ensure water supply towards the town is secured under the project, and now we are completing the wastewater treatment plant, which will largely serve the residents in Kandara and Maragua constituencies, as last-mile connections have already been done in Kenol to serve the people,’ he added.
AWWDA’s Eng. Dickson Nyongesa elaborated on the treatment process to KNA, explaining that waste will undergo aerobic digestion without oxygen before moving to the second stage of aerobic digestion with oxygen, concluding in the maturity pods. He cautioned residents against immediate consumption of the water due to the presence of E. coli bacteria, as the plant does not include a chlorine treatment stage. ‘However, after the treated water mixes with water in the river for a while, it becomes safe for consumption,’ he assured.
Additionally, the sludge produced during the treatment process offers benefits for farmers, who can utilize it as manure or fertilizer for their fields.