WATER SOLUTION IN KIRINYAGA SOUTH.

JANE MUGAMBI 5TH AUGUST 2009.

Water in Kirinyaga south has turned to be a precious commodity as rivers have dried up.

According to area Dc Kula Hache, the southern side of Kirinyaga that borders Mbeere south faces drought as water cannot reach downwards.

She said that the water being used has already turned green adding that it is not good for human consumption.

She said that for long, Ciagi-ini which borders Mbeere has been highly hit by water shortage leading the residents to have a 7 kilometer walk to the neighboring water point.

The DC said that with the situation, no crop germinated even after it rained.

She said that the only way to fight the drought, water resources Management Authority to take up the task and form water resource units that will give the way forward on the distribution of the waters.

She added that the National Irrigation Board to take a step and educate rice farmers on the units that will be liable to grow rice.

She said that the available water should be distributed equally to all rice farmers and consumers adding that the water users association should be a high alert for no fights amongst them.

Kula said that domestic use and drinking water should be given preference comparing to irrigation that the residents have given first priority in Kirinyaga south.

She urged the upper people to consider those that are down stream adding that if they continue blocking the rivers, water will never ever reach Ciagi-ini and the rivers will remain dry.

She said pollution is inevitable as water from the rice budding is let out to the canals where residents will fetch for drinking thus there going to be an outbreak of water borne diseases.

She said the public health department should ensure that the water going downstream is good for human consumption.

WRMA,NIB resulted that upper stream people to use water during the day 6am to 6 pm and unblock the rivers while those downstream can benefit at night and they will be able to harvest it in the man made dams in the area.

According to the Agricultural officer Waweru the rainfall received was 350 milliliters compared to the estimated 800-1200 milliliters thus causing crop failure or nothing germinated due to the type of the soil.

He encouraged rain water harvesting, roof water catchments to prevent soil erosion adding that Mwea is a flat land.

He said that Drip irrigation can work at the moment and discouraged furrow irrigation saying that once drip is used very little water will be used unlike in furrow where a lot of it is used terming it a wastage of water.

He also said that farming in the rivers should be stopped adding that the recommended farming should be 10 meters away from the river banks.

He said the government has taken an initiative of cutting down eucalyptus trees that have been planted along the rivers saying that they are the main cause of declining water levels in the rivers.

He went on to say that people in the area should grow drought escaping crops like cassava, sweetpotatoes, kunde, cowpeas as a way of fighting hunger due to the water shortage.



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