THIWASCO installs a new pump to improve water provision.

Engineers installing the new pump at the THIWASCO plant in Thika on Thursday.

Thika Water and Sewerage Company (THIWASCO) spent the entire day on Thursday installing of a new additional water pump that will add about 6,000,000 litres per day.

The new pump which costed the company about sh. 4 million will substantially ease the water demand deficit by more than half.

“The demand for water in Thika is 45,000m³ (45,000,000 litres) of water daily but our plant currently pumps about 36,000m³ per day. This new pump will pump about 6,000m³ extra per day, leaving us with a deficit of about 3,000 daily,” explained the company’s Managing Director Eng. Moses Kinya during a press tour to the ongoing upgrading services.

Kinya pointed out though this would not completely phase out the water deficit within THIWASCO’s catchment area, the remedy was temporary as they embarked on more comprehensive measures that will in future solve this problem.

“We will definitely continue rationing water but this time in a smaller scale due to the additional water volumes plus the increase of water levels in both Chania and Thika Rivers,” he said.

When asked when residents should expected normal water supply to resume, the MD said that they would be through with the exercise by evening and those living around the town might start receiving water as early as 9pm Thursday night with those living in the lowlands taking a little longer due to the time taken to fill all the pipe networks with water.

THIWASCO MD Moses Kinya (in a turban) inspects the clean up exercise at the debril sieving point of the plant.

“The pipes are currently empty and it might take a little longer for those in lowlands to access this water once we open the system. This because water must first get in to the empty pipes and have enough pressure to circulate the whole network. That’s why we are appealing to our clients to be patient and use water prudently until normalcy resumes,” he explained.

He attributed the water shortages to the wanton destruction of tree cover and forests a matter he said needed to be urgently addressed. He appealed to Kenyans to plant more trees especially in the water riparian and highlands so as to attract more rains.