Residents of Gorgor in Bomet County can now sleep soundly after their major headache, access to clean safe water, was put to a stop on Tuesday.

On a day when the globe was marking World Water Day, Gorgor residents witnessed the opening of a state-of-the-art water project, an initiative of Dig Deep (Africa) in association with the county government, that will now see over 200 households get access to clean and safe water.

A 30,000-litre tank is connected to a natural spring which feeds it with water which is then directed to six adjacent taps. It is not just a major transformation but huge relief to area residents who had to queue for hours waiting for the precious commodity.

“We had few drops of water coming from the spring yet the demand is so high. That forced us to be coming here at night to fetch water which is not safe and we would still queue for hours. Those cold nights were horrible and we also feared rapists, so we had one of us staying vigilant on the road just in case,” narrated Esther Terer, a resident of Chepkochun, one of the villages set to benefit from the project.

“Thanks to Dig Deep, we now come here during the day, spend just a few minutes to fetch water and we have the rest of the day for our economic activities,” she added.

Tuesday’s ceremony was graced by Bomet County Executive for Water and Environment Eng Peter Tonui, local politicians, county health officials and Kenya Forest Service personnel, living up to the theme of this year’s World Water Day celebrations ‘Ground Water: Making the Invisible Visible.’

“No more coming here at 3am to fetch water and this will also eliminate water-borne diseases because the water is not contaminated,” said Tonui, after officially opening the project.

Dig Deep Country Manager Justus Tanui encouraged residents to take care of the project so that the organisation can now move elsewhere.

“Dig Deep has done its part and you must ensure the project is in good condition because if goes bad, it is you who will suffer,” said Tanui.

During the celebrations, residents also got to learn what varieties of trees they can plant to ensure constant supply of water.

“You people live in water-catchment areas so get rid of water-suppressing trees and ensure you plant indigenous ones as well as bamboo species because they raise the water table,” said Joseph Mariga, an official from Kenya Forest Service.

The day was also marked by residents learning good hygienic methods that prevent water-borne diseases, proper use of toilets, importance of handwashing as well as water quality treatment through the use of water filters.

Dig Deep is an organisation that focuses on water, sanitation and hygiene and has initiated and completed projects in Bomet, Naukuru, Narok and Laikipia counties.