Usalama is a settlement with a population of approximately 1,500.  It was formed in the early 1990s when the Kenyan government moved thousands of farmers and villagers from their land in the Chyulu Hills so it could be used for a new game reserve.  The displaced citizens were given land at several sites throughout Kenya.  Usalama is one such site.

Usalama is located about halfway between Nairobi, Kenya's capital, and Mombassa, its chief port. It is on a patch of especially arid land in an area known for its dry climate.  There is essentially no potable groundwater.  What water can be found in the many wells the villagers have dug is often too salty for irrigation or for livestock.  In the rainy seasons (usually two per year) the villagers make use of temporary surface water flows.  The surface water is often contaminated, however, leading to high rates of intestinal and other illnesses.  For most of the year and during droughts, such as the one that occurred in early 2006, surface water is unavailable.  The villagers walk or ride a bicycle nearly 5 km (3 miles) to gather water from the nearby town of Kibwezi (Figure 1).

Mwikali's Gift and Engineers without Borders Team Up

One villager, Robert Malii, emigrated to the U.S., where he now teaches preschool in the Manhattan neighborhood of Tribeca.  When the parents of his students learned the story of his home, some of them decided to form an organization dedicated to improving life in Usalama.  That organization, known as Mwikali's Gift, named after Robert's sister, worked with the villagers to prioritize their needs.  First and most important was clean, sustainable water.

In October of 2005, the non-profit organization Engineers Without Borders (EWB) learned of the situation in Usalama and the goals of Mwikali's Gift.  At about the same time, the New York professional chapter of EWB was getting off the ground and looking for projects.  That chapter, which held regular meetings in PB's world headquarters, is comprised of a significant number of PB engineers.  When the national office of EWB approached the New York chapter about partnering with Mwikali's Gift to help Usalama, PB engineers took the lead. 

Our team's project lead is Scott Snelling.  Preston Vineyard is technical lead, Matthew Sisul is project treasurer, and I am the health assessment lead.  Katherine McCullough and Martine Klein have also joined the team recently, and we have six members from other firms.

Project Moves Forward

The New York EWB team met regularly with the members of Mwikali's Gift.  They coordinated with the national level of EWB in developing a short-term action plan that focused on sending a site assessment team to Kenya before the end of January 2006.  The team suspected that a pipe would have to be built or extended from the nearest source of clean fresh water, a location known as Umani Springs, based on the conclusions of a hydrogeologic survey funded by Mwikali's Gift and performed in October/November of 2005, and on anecdotal information gathered from individuals who had performed similar work in the area.

Umani Springs are fed by groundwater runoff from Mt. Kilimanjaro across the nearby Tanzanian border.  Currently, seven pipelines tap into the springs, including a circa 1890 twin, 200-mm (8-inch)-diameter cast iron pipeline built by British colonial engineers to service the Nairobi-Mombassa railroad where it passes through Kibwezi some 8 km (5 miles) away from the springs.

Trips to Usalama Proves Fruitful

Through several fundraising efforts generously supported by fellow PB employees, we have been able to send two site assessment teams to Usalama, the first in mid-January, 2006 (Figure 2), and the second in early June, 2006.  The first team consisted of Scott Snelling, Matthew Sisul, a representative from Mwikali's Gift, a technical mentor from EWB and two other volunteers.  In preparation for this assessment, the EWB chapter prepared a water quality test kit, detailed contour maps of the region, and health assessment surveys.

While in Kenya, the assessment team surveyed the village, documented and tested potential water sources (Figure 3), met with local political and water-management officials and water engineers, visited communities with working water resource systems and those whose systems had failed, and inspected the condition of the 1890 British pipeline. 

The pipeline inspection proved particularly fruitful.  First, it became clear that merely repairing the extensive leaks in the existing pipe could more than provide the volume of water needed for Usalama.  Also, an abandoned tap was located 2.1 km (1.3 miles) from the border of Usalama, giving reasonably close access to the water.  Finally, and perhaps most significantly, an oil pipeline between Mombassa and Nairobi runs in a nearly straight line between the Usalama border and the water pipeline tap, potentially allowing a direct alignment for the proposed new pipeline.

The team moved quickly to secure from the water management officials the right to use the tap.  This was granted on the condition that the water be used strictly for domestic, and not agricultural, purposes.

I represented the New York chapter of EWB on the second site assessment this past June.  While in Usalama, I helped refine our design, monitored water pressure in the cast iron pipelines, investigated potential alignments for the new pipeline, surveyed a critical portion of the new alignment, learned about water treatment options, and met with community members and leaders.

Design for a Sustainable Solution Proceeds in New York

Now back in New York, the EWB team is working to secure the use of the oil pipeline right-of-way while completing the water pipe design and planning for the first phase of construction-a pipe to the North Market area of Usalama, over 3 km (2 miles) from the tap.  Based on the data from the second site assessment, the head in the cast iron pipeline will be just high enough to overcome gravity and friction losses between the tap and Usalama.  This will enable a gravity-fed system with relatively simple maintenance.

The 90-mm (3.5-inch)-diameter pipeline will end at twin, underground water tanks, where the water will be directly treated with a commercially available chlorine solution.  The decision to bury the tanks resulted from worry over seasonal variation in water flow in the cast iron pipes.  While one tank fills, the other will provide villagers with clean water via hand pumps.

The tanks will be staffed by an employee who will control the water flow, manage the water treatment, collect payment for the water, and maintain records and books.  This person will be paid by the community board.  After the design and construction are completed, the capital generated by the sale of the water will allow the village to manage, maintain, and expand its water system.  Future phases of development are expected to include:

• A circular water main around the town            
• A borehole somewhere to the west of the village where plentiful groundwater is suspected, but unconfirmed. 

The water from the borehole will be similarly piped to the town where it will be used for agriculture.