Project Status



Project Type:  Borehole Well and Hand Pump

Regional Program: Western Kenya WaSH Program

Impact: 300 Served

Project Phase:  In Service - Jan 2025

Functionality Status:  Functional

Project Features


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The 2,282 people living in the Kakamega Central Police Station barracks struggle to access sufficient water. Though they live in permanent homes and water can be piped into their apartments, it is rationed, incredibly costly, and often cloudy.

Field Officer Jemmimah Khasoha shared, "There's a case reported of a police officer who stays alone, and most of the time, he's on duty and rarely stays in the house and was served with a bill of 6,000 Kenyan Shillings (almost forty dollars). This was painful, and he requested the water line to be disconnected and resorted to buying water on a daily basis." In the photo below, you can see community members purchasing water from a water vendor, someone who carts water in from outside unknown sources to sell.

Sadly, this is not an uncommon occurrence. The officers work hard to serve their community, but that work can often be put on the back burner because of the daily water crisis they face. 

Regional Police Commander Paul Kiprono Langat, 58, shown below, shared," Water is the most expensive commodity. When you do not prepare for it, you suffer financially. I can say our work has been affected because, at times, you want to send officers [out] on duty, and some have been reported to be away waiting for water. My officers have been having peace and ample time in serving the public until the stress of having insufficient safe and clean [water] for their use cropped in. These officers can work well and have enough time to attend to the public if they get this precious commodity."

"The other negative challenge of not having water in this premises is that the hygiene and sanitation of the environment is at risk. It is impossible to clean the dog unit, which requires, on average, 250 liters of water per day. This is used to maintain the dogs and their hygiene, wash utensils, and provide them clean water for drinking," continued Jemmimah.

"The water challenge has affected me financially and [affected] my [health]," added 19-year-old Nyline Kerubo, seen below in her kitchen.

Residents like Nyline buy water from a vendor, but unfortunately, that decision comes with the serious risk of contracting water-related illnesses, also costing them their health.

"The reported health challenges include typhoid, diarrhea, and stomach pains, especially among children," concluded Jemmimah. 

The installation of the well will enable Paul and the other officers to focus on their patrols and training, making their community safer instead of being distracted by the water crisis. Others like Nyline will spare their finances and health, allowing them to invest in their well-being instead.

Note: Our proposed water point can only serve 300 people per day. We hope to continue working with this community to identify other water solutions that will ensure all of the people in this community have access to safe and reliable drinking water. 

The Proposed Solution, Determined Together...

At The Water Project, everyone has a part in conversations and solutions. We operate in transparency, believing it benefits everyone. We expect reliability from one another as well as our water solutions. Everyone involved makes this possible through hard work and dedication.

In a joint discovery process, community members determine their most advantageous water solution alongside our technical experts. Read more specifics about this solution on the What We're Building tab of this project page. Then, community members lend their support by collecting needed construction materials (sometimes for months ahead of time!), providing labor alongside our artisans, sheltering and feeding the builders, and supplying additional resources.

Water Access for Everyone

This water project is one piece in a large puzzle. In Kenya, Sierra Leone, and Uganda, we're working toward complete coverage of reliable, maintained water sources that guarantee public access now and in the future within a 30-minute round trip for each community, household, school, and health center. One day, we hope to report that this has been achieved!

Training on Health, Hygiene & More

With the community's input, we've identified topics where training will increase positive health outcomes at personal, household, and community levels. We'll coordinate with them to find the best training date. Some examples of what we train communities on are:

  • Improved hygiene, health, and sanitation habits
  • Safe water handling, storage & treatment
  • Disease prevention and proper handwashing
  • Income-generation
  • Community leadership, governance, & election of a water committee
  • Operation and maintenance of the water point

Project Updates


January, 2025: Kakamega Central Police Station Well Complete!

Your contribution has given access to clean water for the Kakamega Central Police Station in Kenya, thanks to the completion of their borehole well! Clean, flowing water is already making a difference in the lives of the community members. This well will provide them with a reliable water source for all of their needs.

Police Officer Catherine Gathoni said, "Access to this waterpoint will make my work easier. Our program will run smoothly and on time, and there will be no excuses like we didn't have enough water for cleaning or cooking since there is plenty of water. My children will now be able to focus more on their education because we have a nearby waterpoint. It will be easier for them to get water and embark on their revision or studies. They will bathe on time in preparation to go to school."

"Construction of this borehole has made us hopeful about our future because we have suffered with the problem of lack of water and insufficient electricity for a long time. We initially gave up on the possibility of getting water. We had to adapt to a new norm of buying water even though most of our residents saw it [as] difficult. The future of our children is safe because of access to this new waterpoint."

Officer Catherine Gathoni.

Children were just as excited as the adults about the new well!

12-year-old Trevor said, "Reliable water will help save time for school work. I will be able to focus on reading knowing we have enough water for every activity in the house, like bathing, cooking, mopping, and washing clothes."

Trevor (right) celebrates the new well with other community children.

How We Got the Water Flowing

After determining the best site for the well through a hydrogeological survey, we obtained approval from the government to begin drilling.

Community members were instrumental to this well’s success. To prepare, they collected fine sand and water for cement-making. When everything was ready, our drill team and staff arrived to begin work.

Drilling started with excitement in the air. We continued drilling to reach a final depth of 100 meters with a final static water level of 22 meters.

The drilling process can take up to three consecutive days to complete due to this region’s hard bedrock, so the drill team set up a camp where they could rest and refuel. Community members helped provide meals for the team and a safe place for the artisans’ accommodations and materials.

The team drove down a temporary casing to keep the walls from collapsing as the rig progressed. Once we reached the required depth, the team replaced the temporary casing with a permanent version, then bailed out the dirty water at the bottom of the well. We installed pipes, flushed them, tested the well’s yield, and chlorinated the water.

Constructing the well pad.

The team constructed a cement well pad to seal off the well from any ground-level contaminants. Tiles are installed beneath the spout to protect the cement from the erosive force of the water.

We also included a short drainage channel and a soak pit to carry spilled water away from the pump and prevent standing water. When the well pad was dry, we installed a new stainless steel hand pump and sampled the water for a quality test. The results showed this water was safe for drinking!

We gave ownership of the waterpoint to the community after construction was completed!

Community members celebrated clean water. The event was a great opportunity to acknowledge the community members and remind them of our continued support. Happiness, thanksgiving, and appreciation were the order of the day, flowing in all directions.

Community Education

We scheduled hygiene and sanitation training while ensuring that the training date would be convenient for participants. When the day arrived, field officers Mitchelle, Amos, and Ken deployed to the site to lead the event. Eleven community members attended the training.

Training.

We discussed personal, oral, and environmental hygiene, emphasizing proper water handling, soap-making, and the ten steps of handwashing. We also highlighted the importance of primary health care and covered the operation and maintenance of the water point, as well as leadership and governance. By the end of the training, each participant had a clear understanding of their role in maintaining clean water and promoting good health within their community.

The community members elected their peers to lead their newly formed water user committee. The water user committee members will encourage good health and hygiene practices in the community.

"Incorporation of soapmaking skills in the training boosted the trainees to ensure hygiene standards are practiced in the institution. Availability of water in the institution, knowledge of soapmaking, and access to soapmaking reagents will enhance their commitment to practicing hand hygiene, among other hygiene practices," said Mitchelle Ijaza.

Learning how to make soap.

Officer Gathoni shared how the training impacted her and her community. "Basic hygiene and sanitation are key to us as an institution with families. Hand washing and other sanitation practices are like a gospel we always need to spread. We realized during the COVID-19 pandemic, people observed high hygiene practices that led to the prevention of many diseases. I intend to share this knowledge widely to ensure I protect myself and the people around me."

Thank you for making all of this possible!




November, 2024: Kakamega Central Police Station New Well Underway!

The lack of adequate water in at Kakamega Central Police Station costs people time, energy, and health every single day. Clean water scarcity contributes to community instability and diminishes individuals’ personal progress.

But thanks to your recent generosity, things will soon improve here. We are now working to install a reliable water point and improve hygiene standards. We look forward to sharing inspiring news in the near future!




Project Photos


Project Type

Abundant water is often right under our feet! Beneath the Earth’s surface, rivers called aquifers flow through layers of sediment and rock, providing a constant supply of safe water. For borehole wells, we drill deep into the earth, allowing us to access this water which is naturally filtered and protected from sources of contamination at the surface level. First, we decide where to drill by surveying the area and determining where aquifers are likely to sit. To reach the underground water, our drill rigs plunge through meters (sometimes even hundreds of meters!) of soil, silt, rock, and more. Once the drill finds water, we build a well platform and attach a hand pump. If all goes as planned, the community is left with a safe, closed water source providing around five gallons of water per minute! Learn more here!


Contributors

Project Underwriter - The Larry Franklin Living Trust
Data Abstract Solutions, Inc.
Bloomington Walk for Water
Allison's Campaign for Water
Sidney's Campaign for Water
14 individual donor(s)