Huge water reserve discovered in Turkana County Kenya

iTV- last updated Wed 11 Sep 2013

Water comes out of a pipe in Lotikipi. Photo: ITV News

A massive aquifer that holds enough water to meet all of Kenya's needs for 70 years has been discovered, ITV News can reveal.

The pool, which was found more than 300 metres underground, is so large you could pour Loch Ness into it approximately 25 times.

Pictures: ITV News witnesses the joy of Kenya's massive water find

The aquifer was found 300 metres below the ground in Kenya. Credit: ITV News

What is an aquifer?

• It is an underground layer of water-bearing material, such as gravel, sand and silt.
• Water can be extracted from the materials by using a well.

The newly discovered Lotikipi Basin Aquifer could provide water to Kenya for 70 years.

But just as importantly the aquifer is replenished from distant mountains. So it should never run dry, assuming it is managed properly.

We now have a tool that could not only help Kenya, but it could help other countries facing the issues of water scarcity.

– ABOU AMANI, UNESCO

The Lotikipi aquifer is much larger than the other four discovered in north west Kenya. Credit: UNESCO

Lotikipi in numbers:

• The aquifer is approximately 100 km (62 miles) by 66 km (41 miles).
• It has a surface area of 4,164 km2.
• It contains an estimated 200 billion cubic metres of fresh water.
• Lotikipi alone holds 900% more than Kenya's current water reserves.

UNESCO and the Kenyan government - funded by Japan - have been using satellite, radar and geological technology in a bid to find supplies of water.

Read: Kenya government minister says water reserve will help the most vulnerable

Water comes out of the pipe on the Lotikipi plain. Credit: ITV News

Earlier this year, they discovered five aquifers in north west Kenya and began exploratory drilling on two. As well as Lotikipi, a much smaller pool of water was found in Lodwar.

The discovery of Lotikipi will be officially announced on Wednesday (11 September) when the Kenyan government will also reveal how they plan to use the resource for the good of the country.

The tribal people in Lotikipi sing a water praying song in front of the pipe. Credit: ITV News

Read: Potential significance of discovery cannot be overstated

UNESCO is also exploring possible new water sources in other Africa countries such as South Sudan, Ethiopia and Kenya.

Abou Amani, a UNESCO scientist who is part of the team who discovered the water told ITV News:

I'm not saying this could solve all of the problems because from finding water to providing water to the population is another step because we need to have investment, we need to put in place infrastructure and so on.

But we have seen the system and the fact water is there, and that is extremely important and it could be a game changer within the country.

– ABOU AMANI, UNESCO

Choose Peace

It is only 8 days to the 4 th March 2013 general elections and there is no better message to the electorate and politicians than Charlene Mugo’s appeal to the people of Kenya. Watch the video and internalize it. 

It is your duty as a citizen to ensure peace and tranquility prevails before, during and after the elections. The children and everyone else in Kenya need to realize their dreams. Elections' chaos and violence will endanger these dreams.

Let Charlene Mugo achieve her dream to become a surgeon.

Let your vote be the only weapon.   

Choose Peace.

Obama’s Message to Kenyans on the Eve of March General Election

President Barack Obama has chosen the power of video to deliver his message on the impeding Kenya general elections to be held on March 4, 2013 to the people of Kenya. He appeals to Kenyans to reject intimidation and violence. He implores them to choose freedom, fairness and openness. The elections should be free and fair, he adds.

For those who dispute the outcome of the elections, he asks them to use the Courts rather than the streets to resolve the disputes. We vividly remember the main course of violence in the last election was the rejection by one of the antagonistic parties to seek justice from the Courts. Obama reminds that with the new constitutions, institutions and mechanisms for resolution of disputes are in place. Anyone that feels wronged should seek this path rather than the route of violence.

Obama also stresses the neutrality of America in the election. He says that America has no preferred candidate nor does it support or endorse any of the candidates. For America the message is clear “Let the people Decide”. Obama’s administration seems to distance itself from the position taken by countries such as United Kingdom and some European Union governments that warn Kenyans on who to elect as their president.

Kenyans should listen carefully to what Obama is saying for the sake of our beloved country. Don’t let anyone scare you as to who to elect as your president. The choice is yours. Also don’t listen to those who threaten you with sanctions for opting to support some candidates and not others. Shun those who cry wolf just in order to create a scenario for dispute, conflict, hatred and even violence. Don’t entertain rumors, perceptions, allegations and outright lies for the sake of hating one candidate over another. Let us avoid pitting one candidate against the other, one community against another and one region against the others. We are all Kenyas and so should we remain during elections campaigns and after the elections. We should not dare our country apart for the sake of elections.

Listen to those who say what they will do to improve your lives, standard of living and your general welfare. Ask those peddling lies, rumors, allegations and hatred to stop. Freedom of expression does not include insincerity and deception. It is a fair play for the sake of the people, peace and tranquility. Let us discuss the pressing problems facing the country with sobriety. The sensitive, divisive and emotive issues should be interrogated after the elections when the tension and pressure of elections have subsided. Let us carry out the dialogue through the institutions and mechanisms established by the constitution and not election public rallies.

Kenyans are peaceful people and can deliver a peaceful violence free election.  Let us do it.