County Government of Kirinyaga has commenced the laying of underground high density water pipes to supply clean domestic water to over 30,000 households in Mwea Sub-County.
Works for extension of the Kandongu-Mutithi bulk water pipeline to supply villages in Mutithi and Wamumu wards has already commenced with rehabilitation of the Nyamindi intake to service parts of Nyangati, Gathigiriri, Tebere and Thiba wards also underway.
Governor Anne Waiguru said she has allocated Ksh.100 million to improve access to clean, reticulated water for Phase 1 of the Mwea bulk water supply project.
Waiguru said the flagship project involves extension of main pipeline and feeder lines, rehabilitation of intakes, supply of pipes and fittings to extend access to clean water to eight wards in Mwea Sub-County.
Works for the extension of the Kutus – Kimbimbi bulk water main pipeline and feeder lines to supply domestic water to residents of Gathigiriri, Tebere and Thiba wards are also set to commence. Murinduko ward will be serviced through the completion of the Mugaru water project.
She said Kangai ward will be serviced through the extension of existing lines to areas such as Kombuini, Kangai and Karii.
The Governor said the project will help in significantly improving public health, boosting economic stability and closing long-standing water coverage gaps in the region.
“Once the project is completed, it will bring the percentage of residents with clean access to water to 78% in the county. Supply of clean water in the villages across the eight wards will help in reducing the burden of waterborne diseases caused through consumption commodity from unsafe sources,” Waiguru said.
Governor Waiguru described the project as part of her broader strategy to enhance dignity, equity and climate resilience across the county.
“Investment in water infrastructure and climate-resilient is not just about pipes and boreholes, it’s about dignity, health and opportunity,” she said.
“By expanding access to clean water and empowering our communities to lead environmental action, we are laying the foundation for a greener, fairer and more prosperous Kirinyaga,” she said.
Speaking during an inspection tour of the ongoing works, County Executive Committee (CEC) Member for Environment, Energy, Climate Change, Natural Resources, Water and Irrigation, James Mutugi, underscored the scale and impact of the initiative.
“We are delighted that this project has commenced, it will ensure that all the people of Mwea get clean reticulated water. The areas have had no piped water and this will have a very big impact to the people in terms of health,” he said.
Mutugi explained that the project consists of five major components designed to expand supply, improve water quality and strengthen distribution systems.
He said the flagship project has about five components which include; extension of Kandongu – Mutithi and Kutus – Nyangati – Kimbimbi bulk water pipeline, rehabilitation of Nyamindi intake, supply of pipes and fittings.
He said rehabilitation of Nyamindi intake will increase water volumes along the Mwea-Makima system.
“It is also aimed at increasing the water volume along the Mwea-Makima water project so that once the main works are done, the people of Mwea are going to get more clean water volumes,” Mutugi added.
In long term, Mutugi emphasized the initiative targets to improve clean water access to over 100,000 households.
“When people are supplied with clean reticulated water for that purpose we are guaranteed of a serious reduction in waterborne diseases like cholera and typhoid, all which are related to consumption of water from contaminated sources,” he added.
Mutugi said supply of clean water to the community will help reduce disease burden and empower people economically.
“We are saying it is an improvement to the health and also an increase in the economic levels of our people because the monies they have been using to attend to diseases will now be used to do something else,” he noted.
Residents of areas that will be connected to the water pipeline have welcomed the development with enthusiasm, describing it as life-changing.
Lilian Wanjiku said, “We are very happy to get this water project close to us. Previously, we have been using water from wells and the canal, which is usually very dirty and full of impurities and this would make people sick. We thank Governor Anne Waiguru for keeping her word and bringing us this project.”
Ndegwa Ikubu, a resident of Mugaa village in Mutithi ward, said supply of piped water to his village was long overdue.
He said majority of the residents have been fetching the essential commondity from canals supplying irrigation water to rice farms which sometimes is contaminated.
“We have waited for this project for many years, but we are elated to finally have piped water, this will have great impact to us as we will not consume untreated water from canals again. We had become used to waterborne diseases like bilharzia, amoeba, and typhoid,” he said.
Peterson Njuguna, a resident of Mutithi described the project as historic for his community. “Ever since I was born here, I have never seen piped water in our homes, this project is life changing.
