Kwale County residents’ quest for clean water has received a major boost after the World Bank approved a US$200 million credit to the Kenya government to help in building the multipurpose Mwache Dam that will end water problems in the coastal county.
The money, under the International Development Association (IDA) umbrella, will support the Kenya Coastal Region Water Security and Climate Resilience project, the second operation under an overarching Kenya Water Security and Climate Resilience Program (KWSCRP) which aims to build water security and climate resilience in the country. Through the Ministry of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (MEWNR), the KWSCRP is currently supporting reforms and devolution in the water sector as well as activities in water resources management, irrigation, and water supply and sanitation.
“The availability of clean water is crucial for millions of Kenyans fighting to raise themselves out of poverty. It is a priority for the country under its Vision 2030 and as it seeks to reach the MDGs,” said Diarietou Gaye, the World Bank Country Director for Kenya. “This project will help to reduce health risks posed by water-borne and sanitation-related diseases, and in turn improve the economy and the environment, all factors that are vital to reducing poverty and achieving shared prosperity.”
Kenya’s coastal region has a 3.3 million population and access to clean water in the region has been a pipe dream. Floods alternating with dry spells characteriee the region and this coupled with rising sea-levels and increasing land degradation has handcuffed the residents to rely on alternative sources of income, rather than practising agriculture. The Mwache Dam is aimed at solving these problems and diversify income-generating activities through sustainable agricultural practices in the entire coastal region.
“In addition to supplying nearly 70 million cubic meters of water per year for Mombasa and Kwale, the project will increase resilience against floods and droughts, address food insecurity and constrained growth throughout the coastal region, ultimately benefitting approximately one million people,” said Gustavo Saltiel, the World Bank’s Task Team Leader for the project. “The project’s emphasis on improving the sustainability of the Mwache catchment will integrate watershed management and conservation actions with the needs of local communities to develop sustainable economic activities as a step towards improving the quality of life for families in the region.”
The Government of Kenya is engaging with other development partners, such as the French development agency, Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and the Netherlands Vitens-Evidens International, to help finance investments in water infrastructure and service delivery in the coastal region.
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