Gov’t Completes Limuru Sewerage Project, Awaits Final Handover [Photos]

This story has significance for readers across Kenya and beyond.

The government has announced the completion of civil works on the Limuru Water Supply and Sewerage Project in Kiambu County.

In a statement on Tuesday, August 18, Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo said the project was designed to respond to pressure on Limuru’s ageing sanitation infrastructure.

"It responds to the growing pressure on ageing urban sanitation infrastructure, much of which was constructed decades ago and can no longer adequately meet the demands of expanding populations, rapid urbanisation and rising economic activity," he wrote.

Omollo said the project was implemented by the Athi Water Works Development Agency through funding from the National Government and the African Development Bank.

"Implemented by the Athi Water Works Development Agency with funding from the National Government and the African Development Bank, the project addresses longstanding sanitation deficiencies through the expansion and modernization of the town's sewerage network and wastewater treatment systems," he added.

Read More

According to Omollo, a solar power installation is also under development at the treatment plant and is expected to improve its operational efficiency by reducing electricity costs.

The completed works include a 32-kilometre trunk and secondary sewer network, 450 direct household sewer connections and the rehabilitation of the existing oxidation ditch.

The project has also provided two new oxidation ditches, clarifiers, a pump chamber, sludge drying beds and boreholes, alongside supporting facilities such as a control room and generator house.

Omollo said the upgrades had significantly increased the plant’s wastewater treatment capacity, with a larger share allocated to Limuru Town.

"These upgrades have increased the treatment plant's capacity from 550 to 3,000 cubic metres per day, with Limuru Town getting 2,500 cubic meters, thereby eliminating the previous overload on the outdated facility and providing adequate capacity to meet current and future wastewater demand," he further said.

Omollo noted that the expanded sewerage infrastructure is also expected to increase sewer coverage across Limuru’s urban area, bringing more residents into the formal sanitation network.

"The expanded infrastructure is also expected to increase sewer coverage in Limuru's urban area from 9 to 25 percent, delivering improved sanitation services to more than 35,000 residents," the statement concluded.

Elsewhere, more than 150 traders in Gatanga, Murang’a County, are set to benefit from the completed Ndunyu Chege ESP Market, which is awaiting official commissioning.

In a statement on Sunday, August 16, Omollo said such projects are taking shape across the country to strengthen local economies and improve livelihoods.

"People-centred projects being implemented under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) are taking shape across the country, delivering infrastructure that strengthens local economies and improves livelihoods," he wrote.

According to Omollo, the Ndunyu Chege ESP Market has been completed and is awaiting official commissioning, with the facility providing improved infrastructure and services for local traders.

"The modern market provides organised trading spaces, an ICT hub, quality sanitation facilities and a secure environment that supports dignified and efficient business operations for local traders," the statement added.

According to Omollo, the facility is expected to play a key role in supporting Gatanga's agricultural economy by providing farmers and traders with a dependable marketplace for their produce.

"Designed to accommodate more than 150 traders, the facility will strengthen Gatanga's agricultural value chain by providing a reliable marketplace that improves market access, reduces post-harvest losses and expands income opportunities," the statement further read.

Reporting originally appeared via Nairobi Leo. Read the full source for additional context.