Kenya’s capital now turns to boreholes
for water
As access to clean water declines, Nairobi County in Kenya has started the drilling
of 40 boreholes in a bid to address the ongoing water shortage as a temporary
emergency measure. The boreholes are estimated to cost USD1.94-million.
The project comes in the wake of inconsistent water rationing, following a drop
in water levels in Ndakaini Dam. Water Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa said
that to sink the boreholes, the county and the national governments were working
together, spending 10% of USD9.7-million set aside by the ministry for drought-
stricken counties.
In the opening of one of the borehole projects, Wamalwa recounted that the last
time the country experienced drought was in 2013, when the national government
sunk 76 boreholes as a result. The additional 40 are expected to improve the
situation, while projects across the country are part of long-term measures to
address persistent water shortage, especially during drought seasons. u
QU, QEWC sign water collaboration MoU
Craig Rankin, Incledon’s new
group managing director.
Incledon appoints
new group MD
Quality fluid-conveyance solutions
provider Incledon has announced the
appointment of Craig Rankin as its
new group managing director. Rankin
previously held the position of the
group’s chief financial officer.
His career has seen him fulfil
various roles, from financial controller
at AfriSam to financial manager at
Gyproc Saint-Gobain. Rankin is a
Chartered Accountant.
A leading supplier of fluid-
conveyance solutions to general
industry, agriculture, mining,
infrastructure, building, and
construction, Incledon celebrated
its 110th birthday last year. Today the
company stocks over 15 000 preferred
products.
With green shoots appearing in
the bulk water infrastructure market
as government investment in major
projects starts to filter through, the
company is ideally positioned to
capitalise on opportunities here.
“Rankin has the necessary
combination of company and industry
experience to take the company
to the next level of its growth and
expansion strategy. We wish him all
the best in his new role,” said chief
marketing officer, Kelly Wilson. u
Qatar University (QU) and Qatar Electricity and Water Company (QEWC) signed a
research memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish collaboration in the field
of water treatment and related technologies.
The entities will collaborate on building a knowledge base for seawater
desalination and on developing a membrane-based water purification, such as
reverse osmosis.
Both institutions will promote research and innovation in the drinking water
sector and related activities, and also cooperate on building local capabilities in the
field of water treatment.
Other areas of collaboration include the development of training programmes
and the transfer and implementation of technology for water purification. Minister of
Energy and Industry Dr Mohamed bin Saleh al-Sada said the MoU is important as it
underlines the collaboration between QU and QEWC. QU president Dr Hassan
al-Derham said the MoU contributes to promoting sustainable development and
water security in Qatar and to building national research capacities in the fields of
energy and water. u
OVU testing purification system
Technology to purify water that does not rely on chemicals is being tested at Ohio
Valley University (OVU). University officials, members of the community, Republican
US Representative David McKinley of West Virginia, and others gathered at a site in
Vienna, operated by Katharos Scientific LLC, to dedicate and celebrate the delivery
of the water treatment trailer developed by Dennis Johnson of Katharos. Housed in a
trailer built in Denver, the technology uses electro physics as well as polarised media
ionisation and disinfection processes, inclusive of integrating other proprietary
electro (molecular) destruct components, to achieve global high efficiency water
purifications applications.
For each unit Katharos sells, the company will donate 10% of the sale to the
university, which will be used as a demonstration site to show potential customers
the capabilities of the technology in purifying water.
The technology in the trailer can treat and clean river water, pond water, and
other sources in underdeveloped parts of the world and has applications to treat
fracking water used in natural gas extractions.
McKinley said one of the ways to expand the state’s economy is through
research at the institutions of higher learning. Places like Pitt and the Ohio State
University each receive over USD1-billion in federal research money.
The technology on hand in Vienna has the potential to reach across the world to
help people — things elected leaders try to do in Washington all the time, McKinley
said and added: “People are going to want this. It could be manufactured and
produced here in West Virginia and help diversify our economy.” u
Water Sewage & Effluent May/June 2017
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WORLD