The long wait by Coast residents for Mzima Two project to be completed is far from over, as it still faces bureaucratic challenges, slow approvals and complex negotiations.
The project, proposed in 2017, is expected to address water shortages by delivering 105,000 cubic metres to Mombasa, Taita Taveta, Kwale and Kilifi counties daily.
According to the Coast Water Works Development Agency (CWWDA), the scale and technical demands of the Sh50 billion project have contributed to the protracted timeline.
However, the agency added that public participation would be conducted soon to gather views on the implementation of the project through a public private partnership arrangement.
The government has already selected a Chinese contractor – Sichuan Road and Bridge Group – whose proposal was approved by the Public Private Partnership Committee in August 2024.
According to the CWWDA Board, the evaluation phase is complete and preparations for public engagement are on.
A document seen by the Daily Nation shows the development phase will lead to contract negotiations, with the project cost estimated at $389,565,866 (Sh50.3 billion), an amount that excludes taxes.
Dr Daniel Mwaringa, the chairperson of the CWWDA Board, said the project in Taita Taveta County is being closely monitored by a committee that meets every two weeks to review its progress.
He added that the pipeline that was built in the 1950s is dilapidated and prone to frequent bursts, disrupting supply to millions of water users across the region.
“Mzima Springs can give us more water, but we must build another pipeline to ease the burden and improve reliability in an effort to alleviate water problems in several parts of the region,” Dr Mwaringa said.
The existing infrastructure delivers approximately 35 million litres of water per day, far below the region’s growing demand.
With population growth and rapid urban expansion, the strain on water services has intensified, leaving thousands of households vulnerable to shortages.
The agency’s director, Judith Wabosha, confirmed that the government has already approved financing of the Mzima Two project.
She added that the delay was due to the scale of the project and the need for detailed negotiations between the government and the Chinese company.
“This is a multibillion-shilling project. The government and the contractor must agree on the financing structure before we move forward,” she said.
Ms Wabosha added that many boreholes in Taita Taveta have been dormant due to technical challenges, but plans are on to revive them.
Meanwhile, the agency said the Sh20 billion Mwache Dam project in Kwale County, which is 54 per cent complete, would complement the Mzima pipeline by supplying water to Mombasa, Kilifi and Kwale.
Once operational, the dam is expected to ease pressure on the existing system and allow the Mzima Two Pipeline to focus exclusively on Taita Taveta County.
In addition to Mzima Two and Mwache dam projects, the agency has approved the Sh750 million Lumi project, which will draw water from Njoro Kubwa Springs.
The project that is funded by the Italian government through a grant is expected to begin soon, with feasibility studies and design work ready.
Mwatate MP Peter Shake called on the government to prioritise water infrastructure in his constituency, which he said faces acute shortages.
The leaders spoke during the commissioning of two boreholes in Mwazambo and Mwarombo, which are part of a Sh20 million programme aimed at improving access to water in Taita Taveta County.
