The project will involve rehabilitation of the existing rural Water Supply scheme which was constructed in the late 1970s with a capacity to produce a maximum of 2000m3/day to serve over 43,010 people. The demand today has surpassed the production capacity resulting in frequent shortage of water in the supply area; the project therefore could not have come at a better time.

The project will serve five constituencies including Mt. Elgon, Sirisia and Bumula in Bungoma County and Teso North constituency in Busia County, with an estimated combined population of over 115,000 people. With growth in population and expansion on the urban centers served by the project, the demand has highly outstripped the supply; the current production is an average of 1,762m3/day against the estimated total water demand of 11,109m3/day. The current production volume serves a paltry 16% of the water demand. The targeted towns of Cheptais and Sirisia rarely receive regular water supply from the existing supply system due to the low level of water production. In addition, the supply system is prone to very high water losses due to the frequent bursts of the dilapidated distribution networks. The un-accounted–for water (UFW) in the current supply is approximated to over 40%.

The water supply system sources its raw water from River Malakisi, which then gravitates from an intake to treatment plant of capacity 1,690m3/day located about one kilometer away, where it under-goes full conventional treatment. From the 50m3 clear water tank, treated water flows again by gravity directly to consumers in the three zones of Namwela, Cheptais and Sirisia. The current water supply faces a myriad of challenges including low water production capacity relative to prevailing high water demand, high water losses (UFW), poor water quality and a dilapidated reticulation system.

The Proposed Rehabilitation and Augmentation Measures will include undertaking minor repair to intake works including replacing screens and covers to intake chamber, carrying out river bank protection and fence of the intake works. The works will also involve increase in raw water conveyed to the treatment works by replacement of the existing 100mm diameter section of the raw water main to 150mm diameter, connecting the existing 150mm diameter raw water main to the intake chamber and laying of new raw water main DN 225mm uPVC pipeline of length 1100m from the intake to the treatment plant.

The other major works to be done under the project will include constructing new water treatment plant of capacity 2000m3/day parallel to existing treatment works, constructing a reinforced concrete clear water tank of capacity 500m3, rehabilitation of the pump house and installation of backwash pumps and installation of chemical dosing equipment

With regard to the distribution of clear water, the project shall involve rehabilitation of Existing major pipeline to Cheptais, Chesikaki, Sirisia and Namwela and repair of the damaged sections, replacing sluice valves, constructing and repairing valve chambers and unblocking pipelines as necessary. Some sections of pipelines prone to frequent bursts will also be replaced altogether.

In order to guarantee regularity of supply to address interruption of supply, the existing storage tanks will be rehabilitated by replacing sluice valves, valve chamber covers, construct valve chambers and replace valve chamber covers as necessary. When fully completed, the project will guarantee regular supply to serve over 43,010 people living in the project area including Mt. Elgon, Sirisia, Bumula and Teso North Constituencies.