The Mombasa County Government has announced a crackdown against individuals responsible for illegal sewer connections.
In a statement on Sunday, January 18, Mombasa Governor Abdulswaad Sherrif noted that illegal sewer connections had compromised the sewer system's effectiveness, causing blockages in some sections.
During the crackdown, the county officers will regularise and take legal action against individuals who will be found to be responsible for the illegal connections.
"Unfortunately, some residents and establishments choose shortcuts; illegally connecting to sewer lines without notifying the County Government and disposing of inappropriate materials that clog and damage the system," the governor said.
"This is unacceptable. We have commenced a firm crackdown to identify and regularise illegal connections and to hold those responsible fully accountable," he added.
The governor has further assured that the county government is also in the process of modernising the ageing sewer system in the county, through Public-Private Partnership (PPP), to ensure that it matches the growing population of the county.
The crackdown will be fundamental in ensuring efficiency in public service, as well as establishing long-term, sustainable environmental and health solutions in the county, according to the governor.
"Our sewer system on the Island was designed in the 1930s, when Mombasa’s population stood at about 30,000 people. Today, our city is home to more than 1.9 million residents. The pressure on this aging infrastructure is real, and it shows," the governor said.
The crackdown comes at a time when the county government has also reinforced efforts to regularise water connections.
Last year in August, the governor announced that legal action would be taken against individuals and landlords engaging in illegal water connections.
These individuals have been taking advantage of residents by making illegal water connections and then selling the water at higher prices, a factor that has contributed to water scarcity in the region.
The county also embarked on efforts to fix leakages in water pipes, as well as conducting a hydrological survey to identify sites for wells that will provide fresh water to residents.
"The main reason that the availability of water has gone down is that our non-revenue water is one of the highest in the country, because we have had situations where people have truly been doing nothing else except illegal water connections, which can be equated to treason," the governor said.
