Kisumu Water and Sanitation Company (KIWASCO) has called on area residents to join the campaign to plant trees as a way of restoring water catchment areas.
The calls come amid water shortage following the drastic reduction of water levels at Kajulu intake plant.
During the World Water Week, the water supplier managed to plant over 5, 000 tree seedlings, as part of the initiative to restore the catchment areas.
The trees included bamboo, blue berries and other species good for conserving forests.
According to KIWASCO Chief Engineer, Technical Services Moses Jura, there is urgent need for Kisumu residents to embrace tree planting, and protect the existing trees.
“The environment is getting worse day by day. Don’t wait. Take your time and plant a tree. We want to encourage everyone in Kisumu to plant at least one tree,” he said.
He said the entity is working with other stakeholders to identify areas of reforestation.
The environment is getting worse day by day. Don’t wait. Take your time and plant a tree. We want to encourage everyone in Kisumu to plant at least one tree
Moses Jura
From January to March, Kisumu has faced water shortage, especially areas served by the water from the river.
And Mr Jura says the negative impact of the environmental change, worsened by Climate Change, must be addressed, fast.
Kisumu gets its water from Lake Victoria through Dunga Treatment Plant and River Kibos through Kajulu Treatment Plant.
KIWASCO uses gravity to supply water from Kajulu, while water from Dunga has to be pumped upstream, making it expensive.
And with the theme of this year’s World Water Day being ‘Ground water, making the invisible visible’, the entity is looking into other water sources such as ground water.
There is also hope that the planned construction of Koru-Soin Dam will provide the much needed alternative.
