Over 300,000 to benefit from new Mombasa water treatment facility

Over 300,000 residents of Nyali and Kisauni sub-counties are set to benefit from the construction of a Sh15 million decentralised water treatment facility.

The facility is the first in the North Mainland and is part of the Sh3 billion Mombasa County Sewer Master Plan funded by the World Bank.

It will treat wastewater from flush toilets that will also serve Shimo La Tewa and its environs.

Speaking to The Eastleigh Voice, the Water County Executive Committee Member for Water Emily Ochieng said the decentralised wastewater treatment facilities aim to solve the sanitation problems in Mombasa.

"We have areas that have sewer networks but others don't. Changamwe and Jomvu sub counties located in the West Mainland have a good sewer network that empties at Kipevu which is currently under rehabilitation. Within the Island, waste used to be emptied at Kizingo but it got blocked," said Ochieng.

She however noted that land availability remains a challenge.

"This forced us to come up with different solutions for different areas. In Nyali and Kisauni, we don't have sewer lines and this includes Likoni sub-county hence the setting up of decentralised wastewater treatment facilities," the CEC said.

Six-month deadline

She says the contractor has clear instructions to complete the project within six months.

"We are in February, and we expect by July it should be a complete facility and handed over to the Mombasa Water Supply and Sanitation Company Limited (Mowasco) for service," said Ochieng.

Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Sheriff Nassir during the groundbreaking of the Sh15 million Shimo La Tewa Wastewater Treatment Plant on January 31, 2024. (Photo: Mombasa County Press)

The Mowasco Managing Director Abdirahim Farah said the project has been in the pipeline for the past two years.

"The project has been in the pipeline since 2020. The reason why it took two years is because we did a survey in Mombasa and land availability was a major challenge. We want to thank the prison who have donated the land," said Abdirahman.

"We will have clean water that is going to be used for irrigation to serve Shimo La Tewa and its environs," he said.

Abdirahman said they are also looking to eradicate waterborne diseases.

"The treatment plant will help us Mombasa water to reduce our cost of operation because our exhausters that will serve this side will not have to go all the way to Kipevu," he said.

Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Sheriff Nassir said plans are underway to have a similar wastewater treatment facility set up in West Mainland and Likoni.

Ochieng said that currently, there is another plant at the Coast General Hospital that is 80 per cent complete and will cost Sh40 million.

"We are expecting to have a groundbreaking ceremony for the Mikindani Wastewater Treatment Facility in the next three months," she said.