WATER PROBLEM SOON COMING TO AN END IN HOMA BAY COUNTY

Clean safe water has been a nightmare to greater percentage of the residents in Homa Bay County since the world was created, this will never be the same after the Homa Bay county government has partnered with World Vision International Kenya to ease perennial water crisis. Our Water Our Life petitioned World Vision International Kenya, following the November to March drought in Karachuonyo. Hundreds of livestock, particularly cattle and donkeys, died during the drought.
There were also cases of outbreak of waterborne diseases during the drought. A number of boarding schools, including St Bernard's Otaro Secondary School, also reported cases of bilharzia and diarrhoea.
Our Water Our Life targets damming of dry gullies, de-silting of
strategic water pans, roof-based water harvesting, water tanks for
public schools, and restoration of the environment through planting
of trees.
"The ministry of water is committed to this matter and we are confident it will produce results," said Maryline Agwa, Homa Bay County Chief Water Officer.
Ms Agwa added that she has gone through the proposed list of water pans presented to her by the organisation and that the county planning and design team will design good pans, carry out costing and then budget and implement in order of priority. The proposed water pans are in Kibiri, West Karachuonyo, Kanyaluo and North wards.
"I hope the County Executive will pick the low-lying fruits and
actively engage Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) and
World Vision. This should be a welcome complement to the County
Executive's ambition of making 2015 the year for addressing water
problems," said Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang'.
Homa Bay County Government Officials met FAO senior officials in
Nairobi in May, last year, two months after the launch of 'Our
Water Our Life' at Kobondo Dam, Kibiri.
"We shall continue working with the County Government to bring
life to the community through water," World Vision Associate
Integrated Programmes Director Jeremiah Nyagah said.
Water filters RoTB Trust Kenya, a UK-based charity, with local contacts, also donated rollable water barrels whose capacity is 30 litres to elderly
women, widowers and children in Karachuonyo in February. The
Kenya Red Cross Society also donated water filters to the Midwest
Karachuonyo community in March following a petition by Our
Water Our Life.
In February Governor Cyprian Awiti announced a plan to sink 21
boreholes at strategic locations across the county. Speaking in
Ngoche village in Karachuonyo constituency, Mr Awiti said the
project will draw funds from the Sh65 million kitty set aside for
water provision in the current financial year.