Swiss, Spanish firms clinch Sh16b sea desalination deal

Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho (right) with Almar Water Solutions CEO Carlos Cosin during the signing of a water desalination contract on December 11, 2018. PHOTO | KEVIN ODIT | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The project is worth Sh16 billion and will be able to pump more than 100,000 cubic metres of water per day.

  • The governor said the project would stop over-reliance on water from other counties. 

  • Mombasa sources water from Kwale, Kilifi and Taita-Taveta counties.

Governor Ali Hassan Joho has unveiled two international firms that will carry out the Sh16 billion sea desalination project in Mombasa.

The project will start in June next year.

Spanish company Almar Water Solutions and Switzerland’s Aqua Swiss will develop Kenya’s first large-scale desalination plant.

Mr Joho said the project will end the perennial water shortages in the county.

Aqua Swiss has been awarded the contract to build a smaller desalination plant in Likoni with a capacity of 30,000 cubic metres per day.

10,000 CUBIC METRES

“Almar Water Solutions will put up the desalination plant in North mainland zone. The project is worth Sh16 billion and will be able to pump more than 100,000 cubic metres of water per day, giving quality water supply to over a million people in the county,” Mr Joho said.

The governor said the project would stop over-reliance on water from other counties. 

Mombasa sources water from Kwale, Kilifi and Taita-Taveta counties.

“The rising population has led to an increase in demand, yet the supply from the neighbouring counties keeps fluctuating. Currently the demand stands at 200,000 cubic metres against a supply of 42,000 cubic metres” Mr Joho said.

DESALINATION PLANT

The county boss revealed he has been working on finding sustainable solutions for water scarcity, including the prospect of signing a Sh20 billion water purchase agreement for the Mwache dam and construction of desalination plants.

“It has been a long journey for the desalination project and finally it is now taking shape,” Mr Joho said during a press briefing at his office on Tuesday.

The county government invited proposals in a 2016 advertisement. Vetting was done and two investors were awarded with the tender — Almar Water Solutions and Aqua Swiss.

Almar Water Solutions CEO Carlos Cosin said: “This project is on course and it is prudent not only for the people of Mombasa, but Kenyans in general. We shall start it in June 2019 and we expect to have water by 2021.”

In its website, the firm notes: “Almar Water Solutions will be responsible for the financing, design, engineering, and later operation and maintenance of the plants, supervising the entire process from the beginning stages until the project is transferred to the client.”