LOCATION:
Kimaut, Kericho County, Kenya
Approximately 170 miles (275 km) northwest of Nairobi, and 75 miles (120 km) east of Kisumu.
COMMUNITY DETAILS:
Kimaut is a community of approximately 5,000 people. Severe drought throughout the past decade has dried-up many area water resources, with community members lacking access to sustainable, clean water. Otherwise the community currently utilizes several small springs and open-well sites, in addition to small-scale unimproved rainwater harvesting, as the primary sources of drinking water.
Many of these sources are susceptible to drought and are highly-frequented by livestock animals, resulting in an apparent contamination of the sources and a high level of waterborne illnesses within the community. Additionally, most water sources are not centralized to community and often require individuals to travel several miles over the course of several hours to obtain water. The journey to collect water can often leave individuals physically exhausted and vulnerable to assault or attacks by animals along the way.
When there is adequate water supply, the community raises its own livestock and grows all of its own food, with the primary source of income being maize. The recurrent droughts have destroyed livelihoods, resulted in illness and death, triggered local conflicts over scarce resources, and eroded the ability of communities to cope. Families are on the move, which poses protection risks for women and children.
A centralized, sustainable, source of clean drinking water would not only go a long way in providing a clean source of water with the potential to minimize waterborne illness, but could also improve the safety and productivity of those who obtain the water.
PROJECT SUMMARY:
To address the drinking water needs of the community, the project will be split into various phases, with each phase intended to address an aspect of the overall project.
This program’s first phase focuses on addressing the community’s water shortages while providing educational resources regarding hygiene, operations and maintenance for the community to sustain such a project long-term. A centralized, sustainable, source of clean drinking water will not only go a long way in providing a clean source of water with the potential to minimize waterborne illness, but could also improve the safety and productivity of those who obtain the water.
A secondary, and equally important, phase throughout the program will be an educational focus to provide the community knowledge and tools regarding water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) practices so that they may put into practice such concepts to aid in decreasing current rates of waterborne illness.
The overarching goal of the program is to empower this community, through active project participation, with the tools and education needed to create and sustain an environment for clean water access and usage.
Following completion of the goals of the program the team will evaluate, with the aid of the Kimaut community, other potential needs and projects within the community.
PROJECT ADOPTION DATE:
July 2017
PROJECT STATUS:
Active – Ongoing Design & Remote Implementation
The team carried out two assessment trips to Kimaut, in January 2018 and August 2019, to better determine the infrastructure needs of the community and the potential solution(s).
The first phase of project implementation was carried out remotely in 2020 and 2021 due to the global pandemic with the support of the Kimaut community and local NGO & project partner Brighter Communities Worldwide. This first phase consisted of the construction of a new cistern to facilitate additional storage from an existing water source (spring box) in the community. To support a more efficient retrieval of water from the cistern, several handpumps were mounted on the cistern. The cistern was completed in November 2021 and by all community accounts is a helpful addition to the community in the dry season.
Kimaut community members drawing water from the new cistern. The original spring box is visible on the left side of the image foreground.
The team is currently working through a second phase of project implementation to develop a new hand dug well as an additional water source. The Kimaut community and Brighter Communities Worldwide have led this effort as the EWB-Houston team has provided development input and guidance remotely. Through the initial remote implementation a a well has been dug to a depth of 24.5-feet, at which level the community encountered immovable boulders.
The EWB-Houston team is working with Kimaut and Brighter Communities Worldwide to design a permanent well housing structure for safety and to allow for the placement of pumps to draw water. The EWB-Houston team tentatively anticipates carrying out an implementation trip in the latter half of 2023 to aid in construction of the superstructure. In the same trip the team would assess future phases of project implementation.
The team is actively looking for support on all fronts. We need volunteers
(engineers and non-engineers, alike), interested donors, and supporters to help us spread the word.
Please contact us using the button below to find out how you can help us provide the Kimaut community with a sustainable source of clean water! Additionally, you can visit our EWB Kenya Project Facebook Group, our team LinkedIn, or follow us on Instagram for project updates!
TEAM LEADS:
- Terry Applegate, PE – Project Co-Lead
- Matt Bosch – Project Co-Lead
- Craig Thomas – Spring 2/”Engine” Site Sub-Project Team Lead