Loiragai Spring Water Supply Project

Loiragai Spring Water Supply Project is a gravity supply scheme. Over time, inadequate maintenance, flood and wildlife damage caused the system to deteriorate and nearly stop functioning, even though much of the infrastructure remained in place.

This assignment delivered a technical assessment and rehabilitation plan to restore reliable supply for domestic use, livestock, and wildlife, with specific measures to comply with environmental (reserve) flow requirements under water resources regulations.

Outcomes

• A prioritized rehabilitation scope for the intakes, pipeline network, storage tank, community water points, and troughs
• Practical design recommendations to ensure reserve/environmental flow is passed, and to support compliance for abstraction approvals.
• A costed rehabilitation estimate for the proposed works to meet short-term demand scenario.
• System diagnostics and guidance to improve robustness against damage (better anchorage at river crossings, concrete bedding/haunching, replacing degraded PVC with suitable buried pipe).

What we did

• Conducted a field assessment (site visit on 15 Aug 2020) covering: intake condition, reticulation damage points, crossings, storage condition, and consumer points; and surveyed a site for a new wildlife trough.
• Assessed system components (two intakes, main distribution line and branches, community water points, troughs, masonry storage tank) and documented failure modes (silting, leakage, broken joints, flood impact at crossings, wildlife damage).
• Defined rehabilitation actions:
  • Intakes: desilting, plastering to reduce leakage, erosion protection downstream, vegetation management, outlet modifications for environmental flows.
  • Pipelines: replace missing/corroded sections, restore joints, add/repair anchor blocks, reinforce crossings with concrete bedding/haunching, replace vulnerable PVC segments with appropriate buried pipe.
  • Storage: repair plumbing (inlet/outlet/overflow/vent), detect & seal leaks, improve access and valve control.
  • Water points & troughs: rebuild/repair chambers/taps, reconnect plumbing, add protective covers/valves; propose additional troughs to reduce human–wildlife conflict at tap points.
• Produced drawings and a costed BoQ for rehabilitation works.

About the Client

The work was submitted to Laikipia Wildlife Forum (LWF) in partnership with the local community, Il Ngwesi Conservancy, and Ilmaamusi Community Forest Association, to guide rehabilitation of the Loiragai spring water supply system for community use and wildlife needs.