Homa Bay Water Supply Project (Kenya): clean water as a source of good health

Supplied by John Cockerill and funded by the Belgian Government in collaboration with the Kenyan Ministry of Water, the Homa Bay Water Supply Project is to provide a sustainable solution for the region and prevent its residents from trekking more than 12 kilometers in search of water. The recent inauguration of this project is ending the paradox of the town being near Africa’s biggest lake, Lake Victoria and yet severely suffering from water shortages.

With the objective to improve the quantity, quality and affordability of water services in the Homa Bay region in Western Kenya, the comprehensive project will secure 8,500 m³, or 8.500.000 liters of clean and safe water a day and will benefit a total of 116,300 people. Under the slogan “Water is Life” it is to sustain the city and improve the livelihood of the surrounding villages and learning institutions, for the next 20 years.

After having conducted a feasibility study and an Environmental, Social Impact Assessment, and supported by the Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation, the Lake Victoria South Water Works Development Agency (LVSWWDA) contracted John Cockerill Environment’s Belgian entity Balteau to take charge of the design,the construction and the financing of the project vital for the development of this region.

The project included the construction of a water treatment station on the shores of Lake Victoria, the renovation of the existing water treatment plant at Got Asego, and the drilling of two boreholes at Rodi-Kopany. It also included the laying work of water pipelines from the lake to the treatment plant and from the treatment plant to the storage tanks and the construction of solar farms that will be used to power all pump installations.

A project that is sustainable in more than one way

This project is sustainable in more than one way: with the goal to significantly reduce electricity bills, solar power panels have been installed to provide the base power and ensure up to 80% of the needed power supply with the remaining 20% set to be sourced from other energy sources only when there is no solar energy especially at night. The future operators of the drinking water treatment plant have been trained throughout the project by our experts on pump operations, water quality management, pipeline design and maintenance, and water supply management. Additionally, a sludge treatment facility has been constructed at the Lake Water treatment plant to treat the wash water before discharging it into the lake.

The Belgian Ambassador in Kenya is proud of John Cockerill

The project has now been officially commissioned in a ceremony graced by Belgian’s Ambassador in Kenya, H.E. Mr. Peter Maddens, the former Prime Minister and candidate for the presidency, Raila Odinga, as the African Union Envoy for Infrastructure, accompanied by Cabinet Secretary for Water, Sanitation and Irrigation, Mme Sicily Kariuki, and many other local and national leaders.

“Infrastructure is the foundation of economic development. We thank the Belgium Government and the Ministry of Water for undertaking this project in Homa Bay,” Raila Odinga said, while H.E. Peter Maddens pointed out, “I am very proud of the Belgian company, John Cockerill that made this essential and sustainable project happen” and Sicily Kariuki added, “We are committed to improving water supply in this county. Clean water is a source of good health.”

Striving for a more sustainable & healthy water resource management in Kenya

For John Cockerill this is already the third drinking water project in Kenya in recent years and yet another example of how we are realizing CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) in practice.