By John Kamau
Thika Water and Sewerage Company (Thiwasco) has announced plans to expand its treatment facilities in a bid to add an additional 15 million litres of water per day to help address the current supply deficit.
However, the water distribution and treatment firm warned of illegal connections that have led to huge losses besides disrupting supply to the more than 43,000 direct customers.
The managing director Moses Kinya said despite raising its revenue from Sh 600 million to Sh 1 billion annually, the company was still incurring huge losses through the illegal connections.
Speaking during Thiwasco’s annual stakeholders meeting in Thika, Kinya said the offence attracts a fine of Sh 100,000 for illegal commercial connections and Sh 30,000 for domestic use.
He also appealed to members of the public to report any cases of theft of water or burst pipes to help minimize the losses.
“The losses through illegal connections are also likely to lead to increase in water tariffs because it amounts to inefficiency, so it is imperative for the public to help us eradicate this by reporting the culprits,” said Kinya.
During the consultative meeting, the MD noted that the Cabinet has approved the Sh 15.4 billion Thika and Githunguri Water and Sanitation Project in Kiambu County.
Projected to be completed in the next three to five years, the project is expected to increase water supply for 1.2 million people not only in Thika and Githunguri towns but also the semi-arid Ithanga area of the neighbouring Murang’a County.
He noted that the water project is a welcome relief for the town’s rapidly growing population which has being feeling the pinch of water shortages.
The biggest beneficiaries will be schools, colleges and health institutions many of which have been going without water.
Financed by the Government of Kenya and Danida Sustainable Infrastructure Finance (DSIF) the project is being implemented by Athi Water Works Development Agency (AWWDA) to provide safe, reliable and affordable water and sanitation services to the residents of Thika and Githunguri Township in Kiambu County.
In addition, the MD said there are at least 16,000 new sewer line connections which has partly contributed to the improved revenue collection.
He further said the expansion plan is part of a broader strategy to ensure reliable water access for the fast-growing Thika population as it gears to become an industrial city.
In addition to the planned expansion, Thiwasco is set to benefit from an extra 21,000 cubic meters per day from the Kariminu II Dam once the national government secures the necessary funding to complete the project.
Board Chair Maina Ruo noted that the company has long-term plans to construct a 40-meter-high mega dam, which will increase the water production capacity from the current 36,000m³ to 70,000m³ per day.
“This is meant to increase supply to match the projected population growth which indicates that by the year 2047, there will be a water deficit of 110,000 cubic meters in Thika town,” Ruo pointed out.
At the same time, he expressed confidence that the water firm is prepared to meet the demands of Thika’s proposed industrial city status.
Echoing the urgent need for government support, Thika Business Community Chair Alfred Wanyoike called on the national government to fast-track funding, emphasizing that residents have endured persistent water shortages.
Wanyoike at the same time dismissed as impossible any scheme to merge Thiwasco with other water firms in the county or divert its water resources, saying the institution should be allowed to run independently.
The ambition to elevate Thika Town into Kenya’s sixth city took a significant step forward after the Kiambu County Assembly unanimously approved a report proposing its transformation into an industrial smart city.
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