Residents of Mwea in Kirinyaga County are set to benefit from improved access to clean water after Governor Anne Waiguru launched a major KSh100 million water expansion project aimed at supplying piped water to thousands of households.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Waiguru announced that construction of the Mwea Bulk Water Extension Project has officially begun.
The project will expand the Kandongu–Mutithi and Kutus–Kimbimbi bulk water pipelines while also rehabilitating the Nyamindi intake and extending distribution lines to several villages across eight wards in the Mwea region.
According to the county government, the project is expected to provide clean, reticulated water to more than 30,000 households, significantly improving access to safe water and reducing reliance on unsafe sources that many residents have depended on for years.
“I am pleased that works have commenced on the KSh100 million Mwea Bulk Water Extension Project,” Waiguru said. “Once complete, the project will supply clean, reticulated water to over 30,000 households and raise countywide access to safe water to 78 percent.”
County officials noted that engineers have already begun work on expanding the main pipelines and rehabilitating key water infrastructure, including the Nyamindi intake, to boost water supply capacity across the area.
The project forms part of the governor’s broader Kirinyaga Rising development agenda, which focuses on improving essential services such as water, health care, and infrastructure across the county.
Access to clean water has remained a challenge in parts of Mwea, where many households have historically relied on rivers, shallow wells, and other untreated sources.
Local leaders say the new project is expected to ease that burden while also helping reduce cases of waterborne diseases.
The Mwea Bulk Water Extension Project adds to ongoing efforts by the county government to expand water coverage, as authorities work toward improving water access across the wider Kirinyaga region.