EDITORIAL: Desalination plan timely - Business Daily

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EDITORIAL: Desalination plan timely

Sunday, November 17, 2019 22:00

By EDITORIAL

Reports that the Turkana County government has partnered with a Saudi Arabia firm to desalinate the aquifer that was discovered seven years ago are welcome.

According to the county government, it has contracted the Saudi firm to put up the desalination plant.

There were celebrations in 2013 when the aquifer holding 250 billion cubic meters of water was discovered, which is believed to be the largest in the world.

But the celebrations were later dashed when it became known that the water was salty. Hence the vital importance of setting up a desalination plant so as to tap the aquifer water.

Hydrologists have projected that the 250 billion cubic meters of water could meet Kenya’s water needs for 70 years.

This would be a massive boost for a country that is ranked among the water deficit countries and inability to supply all its citizens with clean and affordable water. While the Ministry of Water says it has no knowledge of the Turkana aquifer deal as water is a devolved function under the 2010 Constitution, we urge both the national and county governments to work together in the desalination plan.