The Bomet County Government intends to solarize the pumping of water so as to minimize electricity cost.

Governor Hillary Barchok says the installation of solar panels is underway and that two lines will be used for water pumping in order to maximize on the solar energy.

Speaking after meeting the Business Community, he admitted that he was aware of the plight of residents following the scarcity of water in the county.

“I am aware of the suffering our people go through as a result of the water scarcity. As a county, we are installing solar panels to be used to pump water hence avoiding the high electricity bills which have led to frequent disconnection of electricity,” he said.

He revealed that there are plans to set up water projects in Sotik and Mulot, in order to end the prolonged water scarcity in the area.

Barchok said talks are ongoing between his administration and the Kenya Power over water generation bills, saying his administration has paid over ¾ of the bill.

“Talks are underway between the county government and the Kenya Power over the pending bills. We have paid over 3/4 of the debt and we shall also pay something by the end of today. Kenya Power sometimes uses generators to produce electricity, so they must be paid so that they continue with their operations,” added Barchok.

The installation of the panels is expected to take three weeks, as taps remain dry for the third month now after Kenya Power disconnected electricity at the main water generation station due to a sh 60 million debt.

Residents have expressed fear over a possible disease outbreak, with venders taking advantage of the situation to hike the prices of water.

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