Narok to ration Water Supply

Narok, Thursday, May 11, 2023

KNA by Ann Salaton

The population explosion in Narok town and its environs has been attributed to the current water rationing in the area, Narok Water and Sewerage Company (NARWASCO) Managing Director Justus Lemain has said.

Lemain told journalists in his office that the current design done in 2015 was estimated to serve approximately 60,000 people by the year 2020 but the population grew steadily to over 90,000 people by the year 2019.

The MD regretted that water rationing was the best solution to serve all the residents of Narok, whom he estimated to be about 120, 000 people.

He however encouraged the residents to put up water storage facilities so as to harvest rain water for later use during the dry seasons.

“If we harvest water now, we will be able to mitigate the effects of water rationing in our town. But it is sad I have noticed that many families are not harvesting the rain water,” he added.

Lemain also called on the County and National government to build mega dams in various points around the town that will hold the rainy water that ends up in rivers.

“Our town normally experiences floods during the rainy season. But sadly, all the water drains in the rivers and ends up in Lake Natron in Tanzania. This causes us to be severely affected during the dry seasons,” he said.

At the same time, the officer called on residents to plant trees in their individual farms so as to mitigate soil erosion that affects the environment and water bodies.

He explained that the top soil carried to the rivers causes siltation in the water bodies making them dry fast when the rain stops.

The MD cited an example of Lake Magadi and Lake Natron that have decreased in capacity because of too much siltation.

A spot check in most estates in the town showed dry taps with the residents confirming that they get water only once per week.

At the Narok GK prison, the inmates are forced to fetch water at River Narok following a water shortage that has lasted for several days. The situation is the same in government offices and institutions.

Courtesy; K.N.A