Focusing On Water For Laikipia
Laikipia County is situated in a predominantly semi-arid area. The county's typical climate sees two warmer seasons a year and two rainy seasons a year. January to February is the first hot, short dry season, and July through October makes up the cooler, longer, dry season. The long rains are experienced between March and May and short rains in October and November with slight variations of two to three weeks. Due to these climate conditions water can often be a scarce resource as rivers and reservoirs are heavily dependent on rain.
Despite this, the right to clean and safe water in adequate quantities, as well as a clean and healthy environment, are rights enshrined in the Constitution of Kenya. The Constitution further mandates the County Governments to provide these services as described in The Fourth Schedule. These two mandates are the foundation on which the Department of Water, Environment, and Natural Resources is established, whose function is the provision of water and sanitation services to approximately 532,301 people in Laikipia County.
A majority of this population lives away from towns and urban centers. The County Government's paramount focus has been to provide households located in remote regions of the 15 wards in the county with access to water.
This week, we feature the Department of Water, Environment, and Natural Resources and share insights on the team and the work they do to ensure that the people of Laikipia access clean water and live in a clean environment.
