The Kanyaluo Water Project, which will operate under the Awach-Tende Rural Water Intake Scheme, has brought a sigh of relief to many people

Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga has commissioned the rehabilitated water project that will supply water to more than 5,000 households in Kanyaluo Ward.

The scheme, which was established in 1977 and last upgraded in 1998, had deteriorated over the years.

This had left residents grappling with acute shortages of the basic commodity.

Wanga said the rehabilitation of the project by her administration had now fully restored water supply to residents.

The project was completed at a cost of Sh7 million.

"The project is a key pillar of the Homa Bay County's broader transformational agenda to secure water for the greater Rachuonyo region. We're accelerating the last-mile connectivity to ensure no household is left behind in water access," Wanga said.

Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga helps a resident to carry water with a bucket in Kanyaluo Ward, Karachuonyo constituency/ROBERT OMOLLO

Speaking to residents at Omboga village in Kanyaluo Ward, the governor said they were working to increase water supply by operationalising the Kendu Bay and West Karachuonyo water projects.

Already, 3.9km of new pipeline has been laid, with water flowing at community points in Omboga, Jamna, Adiedo and Orire.

Similar community projects have been completed in Kawakungu, Kabok and Kaol.

"Water is life, and in Kanyaluo, that life is flowing again. We have made a decision that our people should not walk long distances in search of water," she said.

Omboga Primary School head teacher Mary Adero and a resident, Mzee Francis Ochanda, commended the project, saying it would address water shortages.

Adero said the rehabilitation of the project would ensure learners no longer had to walk more than 7km to look for water.

She argued that the school was one of the biggest beneficiaries of the project.

"For a long time, we have always relied on rainwater during the rainy season, but we face hardship during drought. Thanks to the Homa Bay government for the initiative," Adero said.

The community can access water from a reservoir with a tap that has been built outside the school.

Ochanda, 72, said the restoration of the project was a big relief for residents.

He said the project started when he was still a teenager but had since stalled.

"The rehabilitation of the project is now a dream come true. People and livestock will access water," Ochanda said.

The project will supply water through pipes to residents living more than 7km away, as tapping points have already been identified.