The government is set to complete the installation of solar power at Baricho Water Works in Kilifi County by end of this month at a cost of Ksh 600 million.
While inspecting the solar project, Water, Sanitation and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary Eric Muuga said the move is aimed at cutting water pumping costs
Muuga said the project is currently 90pc complete and will reduce by 20pc, the monthly power bill incurred by the Coast Water Works Development Agency (CWWDA).
“Every month, the Coast Water agency spends between Ksh 60 million and Ksh 70 million on electricity to pump water from this facility. These costs are shared by water service providers in Mombasa and Kilifi counties,” he said.
He noted that 6,716 solar panels, with a combined capacity of 4.3 megawatts, have already been installed, with a second phase expected to add another 4.7 megawatts, while a third phase will introduce lithium battery storage to enhance reliability.
The Baricho water system supplies Kilifi and Mombasa Counties, and has long depended heavily on electricity due to the low-lying terrain, leading to frequent power disconnections due to nonpayment.
According to Muuga, the electricity expected to be generated in the current phase of the project will be able to pump water from the eleven boreholes to the collection point at the Baricho Water Works as well as pump water to Kakuyuni, where the water is distributed to Malindi and Kilifi Towns and their environs.
The CS said the system will operate as a hybrid, combining solar energy with power from the national grid supplied by Kenya Power and Lighting Company.
“With this hybrid system, engineers project that the electricity bill will reduce by at least 20 percent,” he added.
CWWDA Chief Executive Officer Hamoud Mguza added that the solarization of the water works would not result in effective water supply to consumers if the service providers fail to pay for the bulk water sold to them by the agency.
He said that water service providers in the coast region owe the agency a combined debt of more than Ksh 6 billion and asked them to pay up to enable the agency to run its affairs smoothly.
Kilifi Deputy Governor Flora Chibule welcomed the project, saying the solar installation would help reduce the burden of electricity bills incurred by water service providers in the county.
“About four months ago when the Cabinet Secretary visited, we made it clear that what we needed were practical solutions. The biggest challenge we faced was the huge electricity bills associated with water pumping,” said Chibule.
