Residents of Napetao and Loturerei villages in Turkana Central are hopeful of accessing fresh water following a joint assessment by engineers from the State Department for Irrigation and the Turkana County Government to establish the viability of drilling a new borehole in the area.
The communities have endured years of relying on saline water for domestic and livestock use after their only fresh water shallow well at Loturerei, which was drilled by a development partner, broke down five years ago.
Residents say five boreholes previously drilled along the Loturerei-Napetao stream have all produced saline water, leaving households and livestock with limited access to safe freshwater sources.
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“Our only remaining hope is that the engineers in the area will ensure a source of fresh water is found. All five boreholes previously drilled along Loturerei-Napetao stream are saline. The use of this saline water for domestic and livestock use has posed serious challenges to our lives,” said Eremon Ekiru, a Loturerei resident.
Ekiru explained that residents who own motorcycles sometimes travel to Lodwar, approximately 10 kilometres away, to fetch fresh water.
He added that some water vendors using bowsers sell a 20-litre jerrican for Sh50, placing an additional financial burden on households.
Ekiru called on the county government to urgently address the water shortage affecting public institutions, saying Napetao and Loturerei dispensaries have also been affected by the availability of saline water.
Another resident, Moru Lokamar, described the scarcity of fresh water as a major challenge facing the community.
“Water is gold to us. We will think of food after we have fresh drinking water in this area. Undoubtedly, we have a lot of water, but most of the water sources are saline,” Lokamar said.
He appealed to the government to find a lasting solution, suggesting that piped water could be considered from the Napuu Aquifer, Kimabur or nearby Naotin.
“I plead with my government to save us from the agony of drinking saline water for years now. Why can’t the government get us piped water from Napuu Aquifer, Kimabur or nearby Naotin?” he asked.
Community elder Nabara Lokirion welcomed the ongoing assessment, urging officials to fast-track the process and move towards implementation without further delays.