The Turkana County Government, through the Drought Resilience Programme in Northern Kenya (DRPNK), has initiated efforts to restore fresh water supply to Eliye Boys Senior School and the surrounding community after their main spring was submerged by water backflow from Lake Turkana.
The intervention follows growing concerns over the water crisis that has affected households, learning institutions and public facilities in Eliye since September 2025.
During a community forum, residents welcomed the county government's efforts, noting that pressure had increased on the area's only remaining fresh water borehole after the spring that previously supplied Eliye Boys, the primary school, the dispensary and the wider community was submerged.
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“The spring has been our source of life for years. Water has never been a problem to the community until it was submerged and destroyed by the water backflow in September 2025,” said Emanikor Ekal, a resident of Eliye Centre.
Water Crisis Hits School Enrolment
Eliye Boys Senior School Principal Jackson Ekeno said the institution had been among the hardest hit by the crisis, which has disrupted school operations since September 2025.
According to Ekeno, the school's enrolment has dropped from 260 students to just 85 following the transfer of learners to neighbouring schools because of the water shortage.
“From a total enrolment of 260 students, Eliye Boys is now left with only 85 students after mass transfer of students to other schools in the neighbourhood due to the water crisis,” Ekeno said.
He explained that the school has been forced to suspend some programmes and redirect financial resources towards transporting water from Lochilet Borehole, approximately six kilometres away.
The cost of water trucking has placed considerable pressure on the school's finances, while the shortage has also affected both teaching and non-teaching staff.
Ekeno said some teachers employed by the Board of Management had become discouraged from continuing to offer their services because of the difficult conditions.
Despite the challenges, the principal maintained that closing the school was not an option and expressed optimism that the ongoing intervention would restore reliable water access.
He described the DRPNK initiative as a major relief for the school and the surrounding community.
Ekeno is also hopeful that restoring water supply will encourage more learners to enrol, particularly Grade 10 students expected to report in 2027.
Beyond improving learning conditions, he said reliable water would enable the school to plant more trees and establish small agricultural plots.
Proposed Borehole and Distribution Network
A preliminary hydrogeological survey has identified a suitable drilling location near Eliye Boys Senior School, where the proposed borehole is expected to reach an estimated depth of 120 metres.
According to the proposed infrastructure plan, the project will include an elevated steel water storage tank connected to the borehole through a rising main.
The distribution system is expected to feature seven water kiosks, a livestock watering trough and approximately seven kilometres of pipeline connecting the kiosks to the water supply network.
The proposed infrastructure is intended to serve Eliye Boys Senior School and improve access to fresh water for households and livestock in the surrounding community.
For residents who have endured the effects of the submerged spring since 2025, the proposed intervention offers hope of restoring a more reliable water supply.
The community is now looking forward to the implementation of the project to ease the pressure on the remaining borehole, improve school operations and strengthen access to water for domestic and livestock use.