Homa Bay residents up in arms over sewage stench in the town
Residents of Homa Bay town are up in arms over air pollution around the town's sewage treatment plant.
The plant has been emitting a terrible stench for months, making living comfortably in the area difficult for people.
The sewage treatment plant is located on the shores of Lake Victoria in Makongeni, next to the Department of Transport and Public Works, and a stone's throw from recently built low-cost housing.
Others affected by the stench are traders and Juakali artisans who make furniture.
Sedimentation tanks at the Homa Bay Town sewage treatment plant on September 9, 2024.
Mr Silas Owiti, a resident of Homa Bay, said the stench was tarnishing the town's image.
“The stench hits you when you get into town. It creates a bad picture, especially when visitors encounter the smell for the first time and speak badly about it,” he said.
He suggested that the plant should be moved. Traders also complained that the unpleasant smell was affecting their business.
Mr Felix Omondi and Ms Emilly Atieno, who both sell tree seedlings in Makongeni, claimed that they had on several occasions lost potential customers after being overwhelmed by the pungent smell.
“I believe the bad odour from the sewerage plant affects their decision to buy," Mr Omondi said.
Ms Atieno pleaded with the county government to find a solution to the problem.
“The bad smell may lead to other health complications, especially for people who spend long hours in the area,” she said.
The treatment plant is the only one in Homa Bay Town and also serves people from other regions.
Trucks carrying raw sewage can be seen dumping waste at the plant every day.
Damaged perimeter walls at the Homa Bay Town sewage treatment plant on September 9, 2024.
Apart from the stench, the infrastructure at the plant has deteriorated.
A section of the wall used to fence the plant collapsed a few months ago, and residents walking past the plant on the Homa Bay-Kendu Bay road can see what goes on inside.
A larger section of the wall also collapsed on the opposite side facing the lake. The wall separated the raw sewage from the fresh water in the lake.
Homa Bay Water and Sanitation Company (HOMAWASCO) Managing Director Tom Nyonje said the wall collapsed during the El Niño rains.
The company tried to cover the damaged sections with polythene but failed after strong winds blew it away.
Mr Nyonje said Homawasco was planning to deal with the problem.
“A short-term solution will be to rebuild the walls and address the odour. But we have long-term plans of relocating the treatment plant to a new area,” he said.
A sewage disinfection section at the edge of Lake Victoria in Homa Bay Town on September 9, 2024.
According to the agency’s boss, Homawasco has secured a piece of land to move the plant to.
However, the people living around the new site will have to give their views on whether they want the plant there or not.
“Governor Gladys Wanga has sought help from the African Development Bank to get funds to support the project,” Mr Nyonje said.
