dc.description.abstract | Problems of remoteness, difficulties in obtaining water,
maintenance of schemes and unreliability in flow are common
issues in water supply systems. Where improved supplies are far
or inaccessible to the users, traditional outlets which are often
polluted become the dependable sources of water. Thus health
benefits resulting from these supplies are often lost or just accrue
to the minority.
Kiteta location is faced by an acute water problem. Many
activities are inadequately performed due to the limitations
arising from this state. Other activities have to utilize very
minimal quantities depending on the distance and source of
supply. Numerous traditional sources exist in the villages. Many
of these sources are comparatively convenient in distance and
time. Although data on water supply in Kiteta is sketchy, not
more than a seventh and probably far less of the population has
water through reliable connections. About 4.3% of the
consumers draw water from communal-taps. Therefore, a high
proportion of the user-population utilize waters of poor quality. The situation has no improved much with implementation of
rural water supply programme in Kenya as early as late 1960s.
The current service region of the water schemes in Kiteta
is, therefore, small and falls below the designed capacities. Safe
water does not flow as expected and therefore, the operational
difficulties make it hard for the supplies to carter adequately
within the few areas served. About 80% of the areas user-units
therefore have to use waters from traditional outlets whose
quality is questionable. Much of the population therefore suffer
from various water related diseases. The same outlets depict a
cross-section of various categories of carrying distances ranging
from less than a kilometre to six kilometres.
For the supplied areas, although the community's and
institutional willingness to support the water schemes IS a
measure of sustainability, their performance is very poor. The
community is almost unwilling to support them while the
operating institutions are certainly weak. As a result, these water
schemes are decaying due to absenteeism of adequate attention.
To correct this situation, there is need to strengthen the
supportive institutions and sensitise the community about its role
in management-and operation. To ensure improved supply and reasonable accessibility,
practical action is required. There is need to address the issue
from a regional view. The weak areas need to be strengthened
and understand the role of rural supply in the national context
and its relation economic development. The study has found it
justifiable for the implementation of the MIDP Position Paper
proposals on rural water supply. This would improve the
quantity available and remove some of the rampant bottlenecks
to development in the area. | en |