At least 27,000 residents of Chogoria town and its environs in Maara constituency in Tharaka Nithi County now have access to treated domestic water.
Speaking during an inspection tour of Chogoria Water Supply Project on Thursday, Tana Water Works Development Agency board chairman, Mr James Wanyaga Gathaka said the approximately Sh574 million project is ready for commissioning.
He said major institutions in the area including PCEA Chogoria Mission Hospital and Chogoria Girls’ High School have been connected and the exercise is ongoing to ensure that every resident has access to treated water.
“The contractor has completed the work and handed over the project to us and what is now remaining is just commissioning it officially which will soon take place,” said Mr Gathaka.
He said the project which is under Kenya Towns Sustainable Water Supply and Sanitation programme is funded by the African Development Bank with Tana Water Works Development Agency as the implementing agency.
The chairman proposed that there should be consultations with the stakeholders to ensure that the water is bottled and sold to earn the government revenue.
Sh374 million
He said there is also an ongoing construction of Sh374 million Chogoria Sewerage Treatment Works which will serve 6,840 Chogoria town residents.
Mr Gathaka, however, blamed the contractor for delaying the project and always seeking for extension of the completion time.
He said the delay problem is with most of the foreign contractors working on the projects supervised by the agency and said the trend will not be entertained.
The treatment plant for Chogoria Water Supply Project on February 23, 2023. The Sh574 million project which is complete is benefiting 27,000 residents of Chogoria town and its environs in Maara constituency in Tharaka Nithi County.
Photo credit: Alex Njeru I Nation Media Group
He noted that the delay could be tactical to remain in the country waiting for the advertisement of other projects so that they can apply.
“I am going to investigate why most of the contractors who are seeking the extension of completion time are those from outside,” he said.
He said that the contract agreement is clear on the time the project is supposed to take and any extension of time affects the budget due to changes in dollar value.
He noted that contracts valued at Sh500 million and below should be given to local contractors to avoid pumping all the country’s resources into foreign countries.
He said under the same programme, the government is also constructing Chuka Water Supply Project targeting a population of 144,089 residents in Chuka town and Chuka sewerage project which will serve 17,940 people.
He said the works started in November 2020 and completion was expected in April 2021 but it is not yet.
