Residents of Loima, Turkana Central and Turkana West are set to benefit from new water projects under the Drought Resilience Programme in Northern Kenya (DRPNK), following ongoing technical assessments at identified sites.
In Loima Sub-County, the programme is targeting residents of Kolelewi, Lochoremeyen and Kareman in Lorugum, areas that have experienced prolonged water shortages.
A team of engineers from the State Department of Irrigation and the County Programme Coordination Unit is currently conducting feasibility studies, hydrogeological surveys, technical designs and Environmental and Social Impact Assessments ahead of the proposed works.
The assessments are intended to establish the suitability of the identified sites and prepare the way for interventions planned for the 2026/2027 financial year.
ALSO READ
Speaking during a community meeting in Lochoremeyen on Wednesday, Programme Coordinator Michael Ekwanga said 14 projects had been identified following a needs assessment across the Loima, Turkana Central and Turkana West clusters.
Ekwanga said the planned water interventions would ease the burden on households and livestock keepers who have struggled to access reliable water supplies.
“In Loima, these water projects will bring big relief to residents and their livestock. Women will trek no more in the coming months looking for water. This is our intention,” he said.
The proposed interventions will include drilling a borehole, extending water pipelines, installing an elevated steel tank and establishing water kiosks.
Residents welcomed the plans, expressing hope that the projects would provide access to clean and safe drinking water.
“We welcome the project with both hands. We have been drawing and drinking saline water together with our animals. In this project, there is renewed hope for clean and safe drinking water for all of us,” said Etabo Lokapelcheria, an elder from Kolelewi village.
Another resident, Lowoi Ikai, said the project would also benefit pastoralists from Lochoresekon and Lomukuse, who often move from one area to another in search of water during dry seasons.
Residents also appealed for an additional borehole to support irrigation on a 10-acre piece of land available in the area.
Meanwhile, Anna Iperit and James Lomongin welcomed the proposed intervention, saying it could revive Kareman village, which has endured years of water scarcity.
The programme's technical assessments are expected to help determine the viability of the proposed sites before construction begins.
Hydrogeological investigations and technical feasibility studies are particularly important in reducing the risk of drilling unsuccessful boreholes, avoiding implementation delays and preventing additional project costs.
For communities that have endured years of water shortages, the proposed interventions offer renewed hope of improved access to safe water for households, livestock and potentially agricultural activities.