Water Cabinet Secretary Eric Mugaa has raised alarm over serious technical and operational failures at the Oyugis Water Supply Project in Homa Bay County, warning that the facility could deteriorate further without urgent intervention.
Mugaa made the remarks during a joint inspection of the project with Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga as officials assessed the state of water infrastructure in the county.
The inspection formed part of the launch of the Oyugis and Kendu Bay Last Mile Connectivity project, which brings together national and county governments under the Intergovernmental Coordination Framework to improve water service delivery.
During the visit, Mugaa questioned the condition of the plant’s treatment system, particularly the sand filters used to clean water. He established that the filters had not undergone sand replacement since the facility was commissioned.
The CS told engineers that the filters had become heavily clogged and were no longer capable of effectively treating the water.
“This is clogged. It can’t filter anything,” Mugaa said as he examined the treatment system.
He also raised concerns about the facility’s handling of water treatment during rainy periods, saying the quantities of chemicals being applied were not being properly adjusted to match changes in water turbidity.
Mugaa directed Governor Wanga to consider bringing in an experienced operator to help restore the facility and train its existing staff. He further recommended that a qualified engineer spend at least a week at the plant to provide hands-on technical support.
The CS warned that failure to address the problems could leave the facility in an increasingly poor state.
“This is dead; you see, this thing has never been backwashed. They have never changed the sand since it was commissioned,” he said.
Wanga, who participated in the inspection, also questioned officials over why sections of the facility were no longer operating as expected.
The governor warned that continued failures could have serious consequences for the county, including the loss of up to 12 million litres of water.
She further cautioned that prolonged problems with water supply could fuel tensions between authorities and residents of Oyugis over access to the vital resource.
The inspection highlighted the need for national and county authorities to work more closely in managing major water infrastructure and addressing technical problems before they compromise service delivery.