The government has abandoned the Loitipi aquifer project terming it economically unviable due to high salination levels of the water there.
Discovered in 2013, the Loitipi aquifer on the foot of Mt Mogila in Turkana county contains 250 billion cubic metres of water. Hydrologists stated at the time of its discovery that the aquifer could meet Kenya’s water needs for 70 years.
However, the government says the cost of desalination makes the project unviable as a long-term solution. According to the Ministry of Water, power bills related to desalination would cost upwards of Ksh50 million a month.
“The water at Lotikipi aquifer has high levels of salt that would require desalination before we can use it. However, the cost of this exercise is enormous,” Water Secretary Eng Samuel Alima stated.
Water from the aquifer was to be tapped for an irrigation project on 5,000 acres of land in Lodwar, Turkana County.
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Alima asserted that the desalination levels were so high that the water also could not be used in oil exploration projects in the area.
In 2019, the Turkana County government announced plans to partner with Saudi firm Almar Water for the construction of a multi-billion shilling desalination plant.
Almar Water also has a desalination facility contract with the Mombasa County government. The Turkana county project, however, fell through.
The plant was to be built on top of the Lotikipi aquifer and was expected to ease water supply woes for numerous Turkana residents.
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