A Sh7.1 billion water rehabilitation project has been completed in Mombasa Coast Water Services Board yesterday said repair works along the Mzima and Baricho pipelines is complete. CWSB boss James Thubu said they had now done the 26km stretch that had leakages along the Mzima pipeline. He said the machines at Baricho plant in Kilifi county have been fixed.

The repair works were funded by the World Bank. "We have currently done the sections between Mazeras and Mariakani, Samburu and Taru we are now left with the last bit near Voi and we are now through," he said. "The objective of the project was to rehabilitate and improve the existing water and sanitation services in Coast region and we want to assure the users that this problem has been solved once and for all," said Thubu.

Thubu said the rehabilitation of the main Mzima pipeline whose pipes have been in use for over 50 years is likely to increase water supply to the residents. The project also saw Sh750 million set aside for major repair works undertaken at the Baricho water plant in North Coast after which production will shoot from 58 to 88 million litres per day. The rehabilitation works that have been going on at Mzima water sources are, according to Thubu, to blame for the recent water scarcity experienced in Taita-Taveta, Kwale, Kilifi and Mombasa counties.