Nation Correspondent
16 November 2009
Nairobi — A Sh3.6 billion planned dam at the Coast is set to end the water shortage in the province.
The dam, to be funded by the Chinese Government, is also expected to boost irrigation and electricity.
It will serve more than a million people from Kinango, Kaloleni and Mombasa districts when it is completed in 2012.
Coast Development Authority managing director Nesbert Mangale yesterday said the government last month signed a memorandum of understanding with a Chinese company, Jiangxi, which will undertake the work, to be launched early next year.
The dam, with a capacity of 133 million cubic metres, will be built on River Mwache in Kinango District. Dr Mangale said it would produce 205,000 cubic metres of water per day to be supplied to more than 900,000 residents in Mombasa and 632,000 in Kinango and Kaloleni.
"When the project is complete it will alleviate a major water problem in Mombasa.
"The dam is expected to produce 205,000 cubic metres of water whereas the consumption in the town stands at 160,000 cubic metres daily," Dr Mangale said.
Irrigation
He said at least 1,000 acres would be put under irrigation. Some 1,000 farmers living near River Mwache would grow maize and horticultural crops through irrigation, he added."The irrigation project is aimed at helping locals realise self-sufficiency in food production," he said.
On power, he said the dam will generate 34 megawatts to be channelled to the national grid.
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