Concerns as Athi River waters turn pink

Concerns have been raised after water in Athi River turned pink in Mavoko signaling chemical pollution. In Katani, the water is reported to have turned black.

According to locals led by THE 4AS CBO Group Patron Daniel Mwanza, the water is also smelly and they fear that those who rely on the water to do farming might get losses if they water their crops using the water from the river.

“Governors from 5 counties of Nairobi, Kiambu, Machakos, Makueni and Kitui, stakeholders like NEMA, Public health, WARMA and Business community should unite and fight the Athi River upstream water pollution which has now turned out to be a big hazard,” Daniel said.

“The Governors should welcome public-private partnership in ensuring that there is a sewer line in place to serve the areas of concern for a permanent and more reliable solution to water pollutions from factories and residential buildings that have been identified as major polluters.”He added.

Further, the river which flows to the Indian Ocean is depended on by a lot of Kenyans downstream for agriculture, watering cows, and different household needs and could cause a lot of harm.

Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka in July while visiting the Thwake dam site called for the establishment of a commission to deal with the pollution of Athi River.

“The Thwake dam project is facing a challenge of pollution, everybody in Nairobi is a pollutant and in the catchment areas of Athi River. Every company discharging effluent and the industrial one which is very dangerous and God is good our people have not had sickness. The project will have a plan to ensure people are not affected by pollution of the Athiriver.” Kalonzo said.

The auditor general raised an alarm that the water entering the Thwake dam may not be safe for human consumption, since it will be drawn from Athi River.

“Nairobi river is heavily polluted with heavy metal and the water is unfit for human consumption…there was no evidence of efforts by the implementing agency to mitigate against the risk and ensure the river is free from pollutants and fit for human consumption before the end of the project.” The auditor general report in a July Report said.

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