The National Water Harvesting and Storage Authority has announced an ambitious plan to harvest and store 125 billion liters of water over the next three years, significantly increasing the current capacity of 55 billion litres.
This initiative aims to raise national water coverage to 72% for domestic, industrial, and irrigation use.
“Irrigation is critical for food security and economic development,” said Irrigation Principal Secretary Ephantus Kimotho during a stakeholders forum to validate the authority’s plan. The initiative also seeks to expand irrigated land from 711,993 acres to 1.2 million acres.
Key projects outlined include the Siyoi Muruny Dam, which will produce 8.9 billion litres, and the Soin Koru Dam, capable of storing 93 billion litres. Additionally, household rainwater harvesting is expected to contribute one billion litres.
Kimotho emphasized, “Water harvesting and storage will be critical for us to achieve this target,” as plans also include constructing 196 kilometres of dykes to mitigate flooding and protect lives and property.
Chairperson Symon Maina noted the plan responds to climate change challenges and aligns with global development priorities. Council of Governors water committee chairperson Andrew Mwadime highlighted the necessity for collaboration between national and county governments to tackle drought and flooding effectively.
President William Ruto’s administration also aims to revive stalled mega dam projects, pledging the construction of 263 dams across the country at an estimated cost of Sh500 billion.
