Africa Water, Sanitation & Hygiene December 2018 Vol.13 No.6 | Page 22

Water Projects
Swiss Spanish firms clinch Sh16 billion sea desalination deal
finding permanent and sustainable solutions for the water
scarcity, including prospects in the signing of the Sh20
billion Water Purchase Agreement for Mwache dam and
setting up desalination plants.
“It has been a long journey for the desalination project
and finally it is now taking shape. The county government
advertised for request for proposals in 2016. Vetting was
done and two investors were awarded with the tender,
Almar Water Solutions and Aqua Swiss.”
Mombasa County Governor Hassan Joho with Carlos Cosin, the CEO
of Almar Water Solutions. The Spanish firm will develop Kenya’s first
large scale desalination plant in Mombasa. Photo / Kevin Odit
M
Almar Water Solutions CEO Carlos Cosin said the project
will start it in June 2019 and expects to have water by 2021.
On its website, the firm says the project with an
ombasa Governor Hassan Joho has unveiled two
international companies that will carry out the
Sh16 billion sea desalination project that is due
to start works in June next year.
Spanish company Almar Water Solutions and Switzerland’s
Aqua Swiss will develop Kenya’s first large-scale desalination
plants, which Mr Joho says will end perennial water
shortages in Mombasa.
The two firms will be tasked with carrying out the billion-
shilling project comprising two plants, with the main one
being set up mostly by Almar Water Solutions on the
mainland.
Aqua Swiss has been awarded a contract to develop another
smaller scale desalination plant in Likoni that will have a
capacity of 30,000 cubic meters per day.
“Almar Water Solutions will put up the desalination plant in
North mainland zone...It will be able to pump more than
100,000 cubic meters of water per day, giving quality water
supply to over a million people in the county,” Mr Joho
said Tuesday, noting that Mombasa had suffered from acute
water shortages due to lack of its own fresh water source.
Drying over time
The tourist hub city sources water from Kwale, Kilifi and
Taita Taveta counties.
Water supply from Mzima Springs, Taita Taveta County has
been declining over time leading to dry taps for residents,
industries and businesses that sometimes last months.
“The increasing population has led to increase in demand
while the supply form neighbouring counties keep
fluctuating. Currently the demand stands at 200,000cubic
meters against a supply of 42,000 cubic meters,” Mr Joho
said.
The county boss revealed that he has been working on
22
Africa Water, Sanitation & Hygiene • December 2018
Reverse osmosis desalination plant
estimated total capacity of 270,000 m3/day consists of
the development of three desalination plants, one with a
capacity of 100,000 m3/day for the West Mainland zone,
another with a capacity of 100,000 m3/day for the North
Mainland zone, and a third with a capacity of 70,000 m3/
day for the Likoni zone to the south of the island.
Almar Water Solutions will be responsible for the financing,
design, engineering, and later operation and maintenance
of the plants, supervising the entire process from the
beginning stages until the project is transferred to the client.