Turkana: Urban Water Secures Ksh 22 Million for Borehole 9A Upgrade in Lodwar

By Turkana Correspondent 

Turkana Urban Water has received Ksh 22 million in technical assistance from the USAID-funded Sustainable Transformational and Accessible Water Intervention (STAWI) program to upgrade and safeguard Borehole 9A in Lodwar.

The project is designed to enhance water supply to the affected population by implementing key improvements, including borehole protection measures, the installation of solar power, and the construction of an elevated steel water tank.

Speaking at the project launch, Patrick Losike Lokaimoe, the County Executive Committee Member for Water Services, emphasized that the intervention follows an agreement made five months ago, following the devastating floods along River Turkwell that destroyed the original Borehole 9. The destruction left approximately 40,000 residents in Lodwar without access to clean water.

“The notice to proceed issued by the USAID STAWI program to the contractors signifies that work has already begun, and we expect it to be completed within three months,” said CEC Lokaimoe. As a temporary solution, the county had drilled four replacement boreholes and redirected the water supply to alleviate the immediate crisis.

This new project will focus on upgrading Borehole 9A to significantly enhance its capacity and resilience.

Job Kitetu, Water Advisor for the USAID STAWI program, outlined the scope of work, which includes installing a chlorine doser to ensure water quality, constructing a perimeter fence to protect the borehole infrastructure, and implementing a solar power system with 98 panels capable of generating up to 50 kilowatts. The solarization will allow for continuous water pumping, reducing dependency on unreliable and costly electricity.

Once completed, the upgraded borehole will provide clean water to neighborhoods such as Methewan, Juluk, Kambi Mpya, Slaughter Area, Namariat, and Sapcone. Other boreholes will act as booster systems to support the overall water distribution network.

This project is expected to bring lasting relief to the residents of Lodwar and enhance the region's water supply resilience.