Garma Murgur project is comprised of a 42-kilometer pipeline extension from a solar powered borehole at Garma with an estimated yield of 36m3/hr. The infrastructure comprises of a 4-inch HDPE pipeline, 8 communal water kiosks, 1. No. 100m3 elevated steel tank, 1 No. 50m3 masonry tank, 6 No. water Kiosks, 4 No. pressure break tanks (PBTs), Lekuru market public sanitation facility (PSF), and installation of solar pumping system at the source borehole. The infrastructure works are funded by WSTF under Result Area 1 of EDE-CPIRA.

SNV facilitated formation of 8 water committees for each kiosk and structuring of a partnership between the committees and Samburu Water and Sewerage Company (SAWASCO), the licensed utility. Under the partnership, SAWASCO shall fully oversee operation and maintenance of the main components of the water system (source borehole, solar pumping installations and rising main), with committees managing the communal water points.

For this purpose, SAWASCO has deployed 2No. line patrollers who shall double up as plumbers. SAWASCO has provided the patrollers with a motorbike. The various water committees shall register as Community Based Organisations (CBO’s) for legal recognition, after which SAWASCO shall issue them with water vendor licenses with performance targets.

The water committees shall be responsible for revenue collection at each of the water kiosks, and they shall remit to SAWASCO 60% of the water sales revenue and retain 40% to cover the cost of paying the water vendor, minor repairs at the kiosk, and operations of the water committee.