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Project Overview
Project Overview – Shimba Hills Community Surface Water Supply (Kwale)
Client Challenge
Communities around Shimba Hills, Kwale County faced chronic water shortages despite the presence of a nearby perennial river. Households relied on unsafe surface sources and long walking distances, while groundwater drilling was costly and uncertain due to complex geology and conservation constraints in the Shimba Hills ecosystem. A reliable, centralized water supply system was required to serve a large population sustainably.
AKO Solution
AKO designed and implemented a surface water abstraction and transmission system by constructing a weir on the river, installing a submersible pump, and conveying water over a 5 km pipeline to a large community reservoir. The system was powered by grid electricity to ensure continuous pumping and stable water delivery to the storage facility for distribution.
Engineering Considerations
Hydrological assessments were conducted to determine river flow reliability and seasonal variation. The weir was designed to ensure stable abstraction while minimizing environmental impact. Pump selection accounted for total dynamic head over the 5 km transmission distance, elevation gain, and expected demand. Pipeline sizing ensured low friction losses and future scalability. The reservoir was positioned to enable gravity-fed distribution to surrounding communities.
Client Challenge
Communities around Shimba Hills, Kwale County faced chronic water shortages despite the presence of a nearby perennial river. Households relied on unsafe surface sources and long walking distances, while groundwater drilling was costly and uncertain due to complex geology and conservation constraints in the Shimba Hills ecosystem. A reliable, centralized water supply system was required to serve a large population sustainably.
AKO Solution
AKO designed and implemented a surface water abstraction and transmission system by constructing a weir on the river, installing a submersible pump, and conveying water over a 5 km pipeline to a large community reservoir. The system was powered by grid electricity to ensure continuous pumping and stable water delivery to the storage facility for distribution.
Engineering Considerations
Hydrological assessments were conducted to determine river flow reliability and seasonal variation. The weir was designed to ensure stable abstraction while minimizing environmental impact. Pump selection accounted for total dynamic head over the 5 km transmission distance, elevation gain, and expected demand. Pipeline sizing ensured low friction losses and future scalability. The reservoir was positioned to enable gravity-fed distribution to surrounding communities.
System Specs
- • • River intake weir and abstraction structure
- • • Submersible water pump (grid-powered)
- • • 5 km HDPE transmission pipeline
- • • Large elevated community reservoir
- • • Electrical control panel and protection systems
Results
- • • Reliable piped water supply for large communities
- • • Reduced reliance on unsafe surface water sources
- • • Improved public health and sanitation outcomes
- • • Scalable infrastructure for future expansion
Where AKO Has Done Similar Projects
AKO has supported estates, gated communities and mixed-use developments around Nairobi and its environs (including Kiambu, Ruiru, Juja, Athi River, Ongata Rongai, Ngong and Limuru), as well as estate clusters in Nakuru, Naivasha, Kisumu and Mombasa. This gives our team a strong reference base for pressure zoning, storage configuration and redundancy in modern residential settings.
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