Residents, chiefs and Water Service officials conduct a pressure test at the water tower in Tarasaa Village, Tana River County on October 1, 2025.
For Rehema Adhan, every trip to River Tana has been a battle between duty and terror.
Three years ago, she watched in horror as a nine-year-old girl was dragged into the water by a crocodile, never to be seen again.
“We had just finished fetching water. The girl was seconds behind us when the crocodile came out of nowhere, tossing her into the air before catching her mid-stream. We screamed, but no one could save her. That scream still echoes in my head every time I think of the river,” she recalls.
Since then, Ms Adhan forced herself to fetch water while children waited on the banks, too scared to go near the river.
“I always walked last, telling myself maybe I was stronger, maybe I could fight the crocodile if it came for me. But deep inside, I prayed for the day I could fetch water from a tap,” she says.
That prayer has now been answered. With the launch of a Sh126 million water project funded by the Water Trust Fund in partnership with the Tana River County Government, Rehema no longer needs to face the river.
“Today, water flows from taps in our homes. Children are safe and I finally have peace. The river took too much from us. Now the taps are giving us life,” she said.
An elevated water tower in Wenje Village, Tana River County, in this photo taken on October 1, 2025.
For Caroline Hadia, the taps have rescued her from torment of another kind. For two years, she walked up to 12 kilometres daily to fetch water, a routine that left her with chronic back pain and mounting medical bills.
“I started by carrying jerrycans on my back, but after a year, my body couldn’t take it. I spent tens of thousands on therapy; money I didn’t have. Eventually, I had to roll water containers with my leg. It was humiliating, but I had no choice,” she said.
Today, with clean water flowing nearby, she feels reborn.
“It has saved my back, my money, and my dignity. Now I can rest and live like a human being again,” she says.
According to Mr Fredrick Kimera, an engineer, the Sustainable Management of Water and Sanitation in Arid and Semi-Arid Areas Project has drilled high-capacity wells along riparian areas near Golbanti and Lake Shakababo, designed to survive any climate calamity.
“These wells are generating about 23,000 litres per hour. We also constructed a rising main that pushes water to higher grounds, reaching schools and institutions that previously had no supply,” he explained.
The old system at Ngao, he says, had gone beyond its design period, resulting in unreliable supply.
“This new infrastructure improves water quality, pressure, and volume, ensuring that even raised areas benefit,” he added.
The system is designed to last at least 20 years before review. Already, 890 households are connected, with expansion works ongoing.
“Within three months, we expect an additional 2,000 households to be connected, bringing the total beneficiaries to 11,000 families. This is not just about pipes. It is about safety, health, and dignity. The impact will be felt for generations,” he says.
An aerial view of the water reservoirs in Tana Delta, Tana River County, in this photo taken on October 1, 2025.
With progress, however, comes a challenge.
Tana Water Services Managing Director, William Jillo, warns that vandalism threatens the project’s sustainability.
“Herders often break pipes to water their livestock, while some residents steal pipes for irrigation. These actions drive up maintenance costs and, in some cases, cut off entire communities,” he said, urging residents to take ownership of the project.
“Anyone found with stolen water infrastructure will face harsh penalties. We cannot allow a few individuals to endanger the future of thousands.”
