Residents of Lopur in Napeililim and Lomil in Turkwel Ward, Loima Sub-county, have welcomed plans by the Drought Resilience Programme in Northern Kenya (DRPNK) to establish water projects in their villages, following years of struggling to access safe and reliable water.
In Lopur, resident Agnes Epayo expressed gratitude after learning that a borehole was planned for the village, describing the development as an answer to years of hardship.
She said residents have been forced to travel long distances in search of water, including journeys to Namariat and Kasogoletom, located approximately 50 and 35 kilometres away, respectively.
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Elder Eyangan Ebei, also from Lopur, said the water shortage had affected both people and livestock, with the ongoing drought making the situation even more difficult. He noted that animals sometimes go for up to three days without water.
In Lomil, elders Ngachuro Engolan and Abuka Ipasi Samal said residents had been left without a reliable water source since a borehole previously installed by a development partner broke down several years ago.
They said the community had since relied on River Kawalase, whose water they described as unsafe for human consumption.
Mary Julius said women had borne much of the burden of water shortages, spending considerable time fetching water instead of attending to other household responsibilities.
“This project will save us time spent fetching water, so that we can attend to household chores,” she said.
Addressing residents in the two villages, DRPNK County Programme Coordinator Michael Ekwanga said Lopur and Lomil were among 14 investment projects identified following a countywide needs assessment.
“During the assessment, the two villages ranked water as a priority project. For this reason, the DRPNK team is here to make this a reality. We want to make water accessible for both domestic and livestock use,” Ekwanga said.
The development follows a meeting of the County Steering Committee in September 2026, during which 14 investment projects were approved for implementation in Loima, Turkana Central and Turkana West sub-counties.
As part of preparations for the projects, a joint team of engineers from the State Department of Irrigation and the County Programme Coordination Unit has been conducting feasibility studies, hydrogeological surveys, project designs and Environmental and Social Impact Assessments in targeted areas.
The assessments are intended to establish the technical and environmental requirements before construction work begins.
The engineering team has already conducted hydrogeological surveys at Kolelewi, Lochor-Emeyen, Kareman and the Kaemase irrigation scheme to assess groundwater potential for community water needs and irrigation development.
Loima Sub-county Administrator Jackson Apenyu, village administrators and area chiefs were present during the community engagement and assessment exercise.
The planned investments are expected to address water access challenges in the targeted communities, supporting household needs and livestock as residents continue to cope with drought conditions.