Naivasha has been identified as a water-scarce basin with fears that ongoing infrastructure projects could have adverse effects on water aquifers in future.

Environmentalists argue that the demand for water from the capital projects could have negative effects on Lake Naivasha, River Malewa and hundreds of boreholes in the basin.

Currently, the government has embarked on supplying water to the Industrial Park in Mai Mahiu while work on the multi-billion Rironi-Mau Summit Expressway begins next year.

This emerged when Lake Naivasha Water Resource Users Association (LANAWRUA) launched its five-year strategic plan that seeks to address issues of water and conservation.

According to the association chairman Enock Kiminta, there was a need for environmental studies to determine the effects of the capital projects.

He noted that the strategic plan would seek to address the issues of water governance, conflict management and pollution in the vast basin.

Kiminta said members of the water resource users association were fully behind the government projects but called for stakeholder’s engagement before they were carried out.

“These projects will definitely offer employment opportunities for our youths but there are fears that this could in future affect water quality and quantity,” he said on Monday.

Speaking at the launch, Kiminta noted this could in future have effect on water levels in Lake Naivasha thus affecting fisheries and the tourism sector.

He at the same time noted that pollution in the basin was a major threat to water bodies that include the lake and several major rivers.

Kiminta pointed to informal settlements around the lake and the archaic sewer system in the town as some of the main sources of pollutants in the basin.

“Pollution is a major challenge in this basin due to the poor sewer system and mushrooming of informal settlements,” he said.