President Uhuru Kenyatta commissioned the Ksh24 billion Karimenu II Dam in Gatundu North, Kiambu County on Monday, August 1.
The Vision 2030 flagship project started in 2019 with joint funding from the Governments of Kenya and China.
Other key projects alongside the dam include a water treatment plant laying of 67 km of raw and treated water transmission pipelines and two concrete water storage tanks in Ruiru and Juja each with a capacity of 23.5 million litres and 5 million litres respectively.
"The 59-metre high dam occupying 600 acres of land will supply 70 million litres of water daily to close to 1 million residents of Gatundu, Juja, Ruiru and parts of Nairobi City," a statement from State House read in part.
It has two terminal tanks with capacities of 23,500 cubic metres and 3,000 cubic metres in Ruiru and Juja, respectively.
The 59 metres deep project was supposed to be completed in March this year but was derailed due to succession and land compensation challenges.
Uhuru promised to settle all pending compensation claims for land owners who ceded their land for the project noting that the funds had been factored into this year's budget.
With just eight days left to the August 8 General Election, the President rallied Gatundu North residents to elect leaders allied to Azimio La Umoja Coalition led by presidential candidate Raila Odinga and running mate Martha Karua saying the duo was best placed to steer the country forward.
The Head of State, who was on a working tour of Kiambu County, also presided over the issuance of 14,000 title deeds to area residents at Kamangu Primary School grounds in Kikuyu.
His working tour in the region formed part of the busy schedule that saw him launch other landmark projects worth billions of shillings as he prepares to retire.
On July 27, he launched the revitalized 217km Nakuru - Kisumu Meter Gauge Railway (MGR) and the Nakuru central railway station during a development tour of the county.
The 465km Longonot - Malaba segment of the railway line was also commissioned. There will be an aggregation hub for farm produce from the agriculturally-rich Central Rift region for onward freight to the Coast for export.
The Nakuru Railway station will be an important stopover for transit trains destined for Eldoret, Kisumu, Kitale, Malaba, and Kampala. It will also open up the area for more business.
In Vihiga County, the president awarded Kaimosi Friends University College (KAFUCO) a university charter. KAFUCO is the first university in the County and is regarded as Uhuru's retirement gift to the county.
