The Ministry of Water and Sanitation has assured Parliament that adequate safeguards are in place to guarantee water security for communities in Turkana and West Pokot counties as the country moves forward with oil production in the South Lokichar Basin.

Appearing before the Joint Committee of the National Assembly and Senate on Energy during stakeholder engagement on the Field Development Plan (FDP) and Production Sharing Contracts for Blocks T6 and T7, Cabinet Secretary Eng. Eric Murithi Mugaa outlined an extensive bulk water supply plan anchored on Turkwel Dam.

The Ministry revealed that preliminary designs have been completed for major water infrastructure along the Turkwel–Lokichar corridor. The project includes raw water intake and pumping facilities at Turkwel Dam designed to support abstraction of up to 407,470 cubic metres per day, a 105-kilometre raw water transmission pipeline to the Lokichar oil fields, and water treatment facilities at Riting with a capacity of 62,616 cubic metres per day.

According to the Ministry, approximately 16,534 cubic metres per day will be supplied directly to support oil production, reducing reliance on groundwater sources. Treated water will also be transmitted to Lodwar Municipality and at least 15 communities along the corridor to meet domestic, institutional and commercial needs.

The government further disclosed plans for large-scale irrigation development under the proposed Lower Turkwel Irrigation Scheme targeting about 10,000 acres downstream of the dam. The irrigation component is expected to require 328,000 cubic metres per day and is aimed at boosting food security, supporting emerging oil settlements and promoting regional economic growth.

The Ministry confirmed that the project has already received environmental approval from the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), which issued an Environmental Impact Assessment licence in January 2025.

On concerns about tariffs, the Cabinet Secretary told the committee that no bulk water tariff framework has been approved yet. However, he assured lawmakers that operation and maintenance costs will be recovered through commercial bulk water sales to industrial users, including oil extraction operations. The North Rift Valley Water Works Development Agency will oversee operation and maintenance of the bulk infrastructure and collect bulk water tariffs from oil operators and licensed Water Service Providers.

To ensure transparency and accountability, the Agency will deploy automated monitoring systems, including SCADA technology, and establish dedicated technical, financial and monitoring teams. Distribution and customer management will be handled by licensed County Water Service Providers.

Addressing fears that increased abstraction could affect local communities, the Ministry said adaptive abstraction rules linked to dam water levels have been put in place. Water abstraction will only occur above 1,107 metres above sea level to safeguard the minimum level required for hydropower generation and long-term water sustainability.

The Ministry also cited additional projects aimed at strengthening regional water security, including the proposed Sigor Dam and Siyoi Murunyi Dam in West Pokot and Lowaat Dam in Turkana.

Officials noted that Turkwel Dam, with a storage capacity of 1.64 billion cubic metres, has historically been underutilised, occasionally contributing to flooding in surrounding communities. The new integrated plan, they said, seeks to promote sustainable utilisation of the dam while preventing environmental and social risks.

The Cabinet Secretary added that climate variability and drought risks have been factored into the project design. Environmental conservation measures under the national 15 Billion Trees Initiative will include catchment reafforestation, land reclamation and soil conservation in Turkana and West Pokot counties.

The water infrastructure forms a critical component of the broader commercial development of six oil discoveries in the South Lokichar Basin, as the government pushes to operationalise Kenya’s oil production framework while safeguarding community interests and long-term resource sustainability.